
Class. 
BooL 



\ --? 






GopyiightN^.. 



CQEOilGHT DEK>SI& 



r 



I'i 



WHAT THEY SAY. 

The game of three cushions shows execution. 
It was not known in my time. 



The diagrams of my straight-rail nurse are 
correctly drawn. 




The three-cushions diagrams are O. K., as 
also that showing the strangle hold I got on 
Roberts. 




The work is something new in billiard litera- 



ture. 



/Ci^.'^&.^'^-C.^Cc.-^t^eryc 



The idea of the book is all right. 



^'^y^T^Z^'^^-^f-tn-^ )^!cAf-t5^:^ 



The article on the Amateur Championship is 
a good one. 

Nothing can be wrong that conduces to per- 
petuate and improve the game of three cush- 
ions. 



Use my name in any way looking to the good 
of billiards. 



/ 
CHAMPIONSHIP 

BILLIARDS. 

OLD AND NEW 



CONTAINING 

DIAGRAMS OF 100 THREEtCUSHION SHOTS; 
SCHAEFER'S STRAIGHT-RAIL NURSE; 
ALL NURSING P<^TIONSJ^m^UMmg 
ALL BALK LINE^^Oft wSicIl ■ | 
CORNER GAME, f '£SQ0 

JOHN A. THATCHER, 

Cushion Carom Champion of Ohio (1884-85); winner of St. Louis Handicap' 
(1887), longest tournament on record, and the only in»B wh^ 
ever in the same tournament (Chicago Haudioap, *~ 

1887) beat Schaefer, Slos3on,^Ja!(d Wfe. l-'U 

\ wet OF 




/./s:^ 111898 

:)f Gov 



Chicago and New York : 
Rand, McNally & Co., Publishers. 



\%\><-{^ 



5255 



Copyright, 1898, by Rand, McNally & Co. 



Entered at Stationer's Hall, London. 
All Rights Reserved. 



TO 

G. C. BRITNER, HIGH PRIEST 

OF 

The Noble Guild of Ivory Turners, 

in appreciation of an 

art which has made possible the present 

excellence of billiards, 

this work is dedicated by the 

AUTHOR. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Introduction of 3-Cushion Diagrams 11- 14 

Diagrams of 100 3-Cushion Shots 15- 95 

Champions of America 96- 99 

What Has Become of the Champions? ... 99, 100 
The Story of the Championship, 4-Ball. 
Best Records, 4-Ball Game. 
Tables of Tournaments, 4-Ball Game... 100-112 
The Story of the Championship, 3-Ball. 
Best Records, 3-Ball Game. 
Tables of Tournaments, 3-Ball Game ..113-132 
The Story of the Championship, the 
Champion's Game. 
Best Records, Champion's Game. 
Table of Tournament, Champion's 

Game .......133-137 

The Story of the Championship, Cushion 
Caroms. 
Best Records, Cushion Caroms. 
Tables of Tournaments, Cushion Car- 
oms 137-148 

The Story of the Championship, Balk 
Line. 
Best Records, Balk Line. 

Tables of Tournaments, Balk Line 149-164" 

The Advent of Ives, Balk Line. 
Best Records Since October 28, 1891 (no- 
where else to be found complete) ..164-181 
Tables of Tournaments Since Novem- 
ber, 1893 .181-186 

Shortstops at Their Best. 187,188 

Billiards Can Be Taught 188-197 

Suggestions to Novices 188-197 

5 



6 

The Amateur Championship of America. 197-201 

All Kinds of Balks 202-213 

Diagrams of the Various Methods of 

Checking Speed 202-213 

The "Albany Pony" in England 213-217 

The Ives-Roberts Match in England 217-224 

The Johnson- Reeves Match at Cushion 

Caroms (biggest betting game ever 

known in the United States) 224-228 

New Game of Billiards — French Corner 

Game 229-234 

Record Odds and Ends 234,235 

Bank Shots 235 

Fancy Shots 235 

Finger Billiards 236 

Lady Fancy Shot Player. 236 

Armless Billiardist. 237 

English Billiards 237 

American Experts in Europe 237 

Foreigners in America . 238 

Best Handicap 239 

Rub Nurse at Cushion Caroms 239 

Kiss in Corner at Cushion Caroms 239 

Definition of " Shortstop" _ 240 

Fournil in America ... 240 

Manufacture of Billiard Tables and 

Cushions, ^tc 240,241 

Michael Phelan in Europe 242 

Finale 243,244 



PREFACE. 

There is a story to this effect : At a railway 
station in the far West a train pulled up to take 
on wood, and the hungry passenger jumped off 
and ran to the lunch counter in the nearest 
shanty. There were displayed placards, " Ham 
Sandwich, 10 cents;" "Boiled Eggs, 5 cents;" 
*'Apple Pie, 10 cents," and others of like kind. 
The traveler hurriedly grabbed 30 cents' worth 
of food and laid down a two-dollar bill, which 
the greedy-eyed proprietor quickly threw into 
a drawer and calmly resumed his talk with his 
crony. " Hurry up, gimme my change ! " yelled 
the tourist as he heard the bell ring. " Hurry 
up, I say! I shall be left." "You don't get 
nothink back," sneered the restaurant man. 
**Why, I gave you two dollars!" cried the 
other. " There are your signs, and I have only 
eaten 30 cents' worth." " Yes, you're all right. 
Move up, old pard, or you'll miss your train," 
and, as the passenger caught the platform of 
the last car, he heard the bandit say to his fel- 
low, " You see, Jim, I need money." 

Akin is the action of the author in placing 
his wares before the public. The original idea 
was to print the diagrams of the three-cushion 
shots in pamphlet form, but the publishers 
were informed by their chief salesman that 
there would be a market for a record book of 
billiards somewhat more condensed than any 
now commonly in use. 

7 



8 

The endeavor, then, has been to supply the 
wants of billiard lovers — themselves too busy- 
to search through larger books — and allow 
them to discover this or that record almost at a 
glance. Given a new author, fresh material 
may be presumed. Aside from the records, the 
matter herein contained can not be found else- 
where. 

That no rules have been inserted in this pub- 
lication is because the compiler does not wish 
to still further complicate arguments which 
can never be settled until, as in England, the 
American billiard experts hold a meeting, re- 
vise the old rules, and make such new ones as 
the great improvement in the game of billiards 
most imperatively calls for. To-day mooted 
points can not be settled, as authorities equally 
good disagree, and the bedrock upon which the 
code was first planted is overlaid with the 
accretions of alluvium brought from fields of 
thought widely distributed. In casting an eye 
over the records herein contained, the hyper- 
critical may cry, "As I supposed ; ever more 
and more mistakes," arguing from the well 
ventilated knowledge of the imperfection in 
the records of billiards; and it is true that the 
writer has not reproduced to the fraction of a 
hair the difference in, for instance, grand av- 
erages. 

If the fault of repetition be glaring, it may be 
said that the layman is much more apt to make 
a respectable bag when shooting into flocks 
rather than at single birds. To give a general 
idea of the performance of one billiardist as 
compared with that of another of his date is the 
aim sought, as well as by the presentation in 
sequence of the various methods adopted to 



9 

thwart the first-class expert to advance the 
conception of the evolution of the noblest game 
yet devised by man. The matter herein con- 
tained has been prepared with great care, and 
the inevitable inaccuracies can easily be weeded 
out in a later edition. 

To further this end the author asks all true 
lovers of billiards to interest themselves in set- 
ting him right. In the production of this work 
he has been materially aided by the experts of 
the first class, not only as regards the execution, 
but in the judgment of the game. To such, 
thanks are returned with the hope that both 
amateur and professional may charitably view 
the effort of a man who can lay claim to little 
save sincerity of purpose. 




INTRODUCTION TO 
THREE-CUSHION DIAGRAMS. 

Where the game of three-cushion billiards 
originated is not known; but to-day, in- the 
public billiard halls of the country at large, 
although the West is peculiarly its home, such 
style of billiards is favored in great dispropor- 
tion to anything seen in bygone years. In the 
day of Michael Phelan, the books made no men- 
tion of "cush, cush, cush," and Dudley Kava- 
nagh, the first American champion at the four- 
ball game, kindly furnishing the diagrams cred- 
ited to him, sends the information that, as a 
game, "three cushions" was not known in his 
time. Wayman C. McCreery, Internal Revenue 
Collector of the port of St. Louis, a gentleman 
who for twenty years has been supposed to be 
the best amateur billiardist in the United States, 
is probably responsible for the prominence of 
three cushions, a game he plays as well as any- 
body, as shown by a defeat of Byron Gillette of 
Cincinnati, a man who, in exhibition play, has 
beaten both Frank C. Ives and Jacob Schaefer. 

Years ago Mussey's St. Louis billiard-room 
was a great rendezvous for professionals and 
amateurs, and here McCreery, at three cush- 
ions, took the scalps of all experts, with the 
exception of Eugene Carter and "the wizard," 
both of whom he equaled in speed. 

Before the fire which lately destroyed the 
parlors, in Chicago, of the younger Mussey, 
there might have been seen in this resort by far 



12 

the greater number of fine amateur players to 
be found in any one room in the United States, 
and many of these gentlemen were but slightly 
inferior in proficiency to the best professionals. 
St. Louis also has amateurs only 20 per cent 
slower than McCreery. 

"Three cushions" undoubtedly originated as a 
gambler's game, but this is no argument 
against it, for " keno," where no percentage is 
charged, can not be equaled as a parlor game. 
Its popularity is largely due to the social pos- 
sibilities, many of the amateurs fancying a 
four-handed match in preference to any other, 
and there is no question as to its favor with 
men who play billiards for exercise. 

The ordinary amateur does not care to sit 
idly by and " freeze up" while Schaefer runs 
100 at ball-to-ball billiards, so he engages the 
wizard at three cushions, and is at the table 
almost as much of the time as his teacher. One 
fancies also to say to his wife : "You think I 
can not play billiards, but Jake Schaefer only 
beat me 5 in a 25-point game to-day," instead 
of being forced to admit "I can make about 
10 to Schaefer 's 100," which would be the truth 
in reference to even 18-inch balk-line billiards. 

Imperfect methods may produce good results 
at three cushions, and here is a game where 
" stroke " courts for little. Magnus of Texas, 
a man always within 10 per cent of McCreery, 
showed great lateral motion of stroke — a thing 
fatal at ball-to-ball billiards. Nor is freedom 
of sweep essential, although men commonly 
say of such stroke: "That's the kind for three ] 
cushions." 

Jacob Schaefer's side stroke it is useless to 
copy, yet he makes it fit any style of billiards. 



13 

It is interesting to not»e the difference in dis- 
tance traveled by the cue-ball when propelled 
by a big six-footer or the wee Schaefer. The 
former has swung his arm to perfection and 
landed solidly upon the surface of the ball; the 
wizard has simply snapped his arm; yet Schae- 
fer ^s ball will travel several feet farther than 
t'he other. 

Some persons argue that an ability to hit 
nine cushions is necessary to high speed at 
three cushions ; on the contrary, a hard hitter, 
i'f anything, has the worst of it, he, fall- 
ing into the habit of dancing his ball around 
the table on the "two-chance" principle, thus 
sacrificing safety and running into all possible 
kisses. The man with the "tied-up stroke" 
naturally goes the short way and thus insensi- 
bly plays the better system, both as to safety 
and chance to score. The secret of McCreery's 
game is " going the short way," and in this 
regard an infallible rule applies as at all known 
styles of billiards. The distance traveled by 
the cue-ball is the sure index of billiard skill, 
and he who sends his ball the shorter distance 
is the better player. Advanced further, the 
same rule holds good as to the driven ball at 
ball-to-ball billiards. Schaefer's play of " vSquib 
shots" demonstrates the fact that great force 
renders impossible of execution such strokes, 
the wizard playing his ball slowly, giving the 
twist a chance to work, where the hard hitter 
has destroyed the twist on his ball after con- 
tact with. the first cushion. 

The speediest three-cushion player in the 
world is Jacob's brother, Charles Schaefer, who 
has on record in a tournament the score of 30 
points, made in twelve innings. With a flat 



14 

pool stroke he strikes the cue-ball where he 
wills, and, like all experts at 15-ball pool, can 
hit an object ball at the farther end of the 
table *' as fine as a hair." In knowledge of the 
game Charles Schaefer has no superior, but as 
a money player he is belittled by professionals. 
Frank C. Ives has a record of 30 points scored 
in fifteen innings (three consecutive games of 10 
points each), but Jacob Schaefer is considered 
the superior player. W. C. McCreery once made 
50 points in a match in fifty-three innings, and an 
amateur of St. Louis, named Frank Petersen, is 
credited with the record run of 14 (5 x 10 table). 
W. C. McCreery in 1887 beat Eugene Carter 15 to 
14 in three innings, and finished with a run of 11. 
Jacob Schaefer in 1895 also scored 15 in three 
innings (4, 8, and 3). Three cushions is a popu- 
lar game in the Paris academies; all of the 
French experts are fine players, notably Vig- 
naux, Plot, Garnier, Fournil, and Cure. The 
diagrams which follow are intended to show 
the principles of all the difficult shots which are 
entirely practicable, as also to entertain three- 
cushion enthusiasts with the possibilities of the 
game. Countless variations are easy to discern 
through a slight change in position of the balls. 
It has been the effort of the maker of these 
diagrams to give credit to this player and that 
for original ideas, as also to show the favorite 
strokes of the leading experts at the game. The 
"ABC" has been purposely omitted, as the 
better way to execute "naturals" is a matter 
of individual opinion. If the " unnaturals " in- 
struct and amuse, the writer's end will have 
been accomplished. The suggestion is made 
that each shot should count 3, in order that 1 
point may be charged as penalty for a miss. 



15 





Kiss from red 
Froren in Corner" 
Twist on righ+ side, 
one Ball , 3 Cushions. 

Henry fDuMP*)RHiNES. 



Same . 
4 Cushions. 

Jos.W. Capron, 



16 




\2i 



Sample of^ 
'Smash in** or ''Squib' 

Played in grea+er 
Perfection b^ 

Jacob ScHaefer. 

Very heavy ri2h+ Twist. 



A favorite Stroke 
of 

W.CM9CREERY 

Heavy right Twist. 



17 




4 Cushions . 
Heavy left Twist. 
Shovyn ' by 

W. H.'Catton. 



Follow and Force 

The Wizard". 

Twist on \ef^ side of Cue Ball 



18 



*'Vefy fine'' 

Shots common +o Pool Players . 
and so well ^executed 
by 
J NO Daly 
and 

George Sutton 

Twi*s+ on rlgh+ side. 



Remarkable t/umpover" 
made by . ' 

' SCHAEFER Dec. 15/97 

He said : I ney/er before ■t-hough+ of 
a+temp+ing the stroke." 
Twisty on right side. 



.^ 



19 



''Pretty Work" 

^^ 
Amateur Doherty 

Heavy right Twist. 



A Variation 

of 
''Very fine*/ 

by 

Harry, Pagin. 



20 




Fancy Sho+ 
by 

Eugene Carter 

"wis+ on leff side, follow in . 



Fancy Shof 

By 

Joe Doherty 

Rlgh+ Twisf. 





Twist on left side. 
Ed. Helm. 



Amafeur 
Christy 

Twis+ on righj/side 



Easy Shots 
often overlooked 



Twist on lefts 
side. 



>Jno.Bessunger. 



Shown by 
N. Lederer. 

Heavy leff Twist. 




23 



rv 



Fancy Sho+ 

>y 

N. Lederer. 

Heavy rig hf Twist. 
Down Stroke. 



r 



71 



Jump Sho+ 
by 

N.Lederer . 

Righf Twist, 



ZA 




Kiss Shot 

by 

Geo F Slosson 

Heavy lefi Twisf- 



Variation of same 
- by 
Parker Byers 



26 



On" with^Reverse Twisf 
A Shot shown 
by 

LoN Morris 

and 

Magnus, 

\Now Champion of Texas 
^ Cue Ball struck 
on left side 



27 




28 



*' Springes hot 
by 

T J.Gallagher./ 

LoftTwisf 



29 



Reverse Twisf. 

Thefavori+e Stroke/ 
of 

E.G.Schevenell/ 

Cue Ball struck i 
on right side 



Going -fhe unnatural way 
n order to avoid a Kiss . 
Used by 

Perkins at^three Cushions/ 

and by 

Geo.F.Slosson 

at any style of Billiardsy 
Cue Ball struck on 
right side 



\ 



/V. 



31 




32 



Fine, 

with 
Draw off Cushion^' 

and ^^ 

"heavy natural Twist* 

made recently by 

W"A Spinks 

Cue Ball struck on leftside 



FT 



"The Up Country 

Shot 

Effecfedat times by 

all the players born 

In CuyahogaCo.Ohio 

Heavy righ+Twist 

"Al'" Smith 



/ 



"Up and down Bank" 

by 

T.H.White 

Na+ural Angle 
No Twisf 




Bank Sho+ 

by 

Chas. N.Morrison 

Leff Twist. 



36 



Bank Sho+ 

h 

Ben Saylor 

Lef+ Twist. 



37 






''Calcula+lon Sho+" 

by 

Prof. Louis Reed 

This is where +he Professor- 
backed ou+of +he second 
Story Window, returning in 
Time \o cry : **^ |+s a goitt3 
+o coun+ . By Gosh!'* 
Left Twist. 



38 




40 



Draw from the Cushion" 
Eugene Carter 

Heavy left Twis+. 



42 




Wy Harrison 

Top Ball . 
Righ+ Twist 




44 



Jno. Matthews 

Draw Sroke 

wi + h 

lef+ Twist. 



45 




46 



Sutton 

hifs wrong Cushion 
and 
■ backs up'f 

A remarkable 

"Fluke" 



47 



Miscue 
L. Perkins. 

Vouched for 

C.J. E.Parker. 

Righ4- Twisf. 



~A 



Ed. Semple . 

The opening Sho"!- 

on four Cushions 

R.ght Tw.s+. 



|i 



6 



49 




50 




\ 



^ y 


/\ 


/ \ 


/ \ 


/ \ 


/ \ 


/ \ 


\ 


/ \ 


/ \ 


y Furnishedbv \ 


\ Dudley Kavanagh \ 


\ who won first Championship \ 


\ of America 1863. \ 


V ^ Balls. \ 


\^ 6 X IZ Table, \ 


\ 


\ / 


\ / 


\ / 


\ / 


\ / 


\ / 


V 


/ \ 




/ \^ 




r^^\'> 


V : _!l^ k 



71 




Chas. J.E.Parker 
"Smash in" 

Follow through -firs-}- Object Ball. 
Top Ball . 
Heavy right Twist. 



Jack M^ Cormick 

+ he "Tira-l- Champion 
Bank Sho-h Player. 



Illustration " 0"F 
getUng an angle 
from Object Ball 
^ hit "Fine J with no 
Twist on Cue Ball. 



o Frank C. Ives . 

This Expert +he ha fdes-h of 
Hi++ers, s+rikes Cue Ball a 
tremendous Smash"- feff 
Twist, Top Ball- and astonis- 
hes T.J.Gallagher with Re- 
finement of his ownfavorite 
Stroke . 



Force Draw . 
Byron S.Gillette. 

Heavy righf Twisf. 



Slow Draw, 
Byron S.Gillette. 

Heavy leff Twisf . 
Dead Ball . 




56 



Byron S.Gillette. 

Heavy ngh+ Twrs+". 



VL 




Byron S.Gillette. 

Top Ball. 

Heavy lef+ Twisf. 




Byron S.Gillette : 

Top BalL 
Heavy lef+_Twist. 



Byron S.Gillette. 

Top Ball. 
Righf Twist. 



^ 




59 




Clarence E.Green. 
"Way down low" 

Heavy right Twisf 



60 



T 



A m a+eur 

Geo. W. Davis 

Top Ball 
Leff Twis+. 



\> 



JJ 



f\ 



371 



Chas.E.Leutz . 
Cen+er Ba II. 



63 



Ellery B.Prescott. 

Heavy right Twisty 



Wilson R Foss. 

Heavy left Twist. 




64 



Charles Nolan. 
Tie up" 
on red. 

Player unable foget 
to right Side Cushion 
Top Ball. 
Heavy right Twist 



66 




66 



'Wrong Way 
around the Table" 
Made by 

Cyrille Dion 

20 years ago. 
Heavy righf Twisf. 



67 



A difficult 
Shown by 

Capt. A.C. Anson 

Leff Twisi". 



The Sfyle of Shot discovered 
by 
Eugene Carter . 

Rig h+ Twist. 
Striking first Object Ball 
nearl)/"fuir' 



70 



Draw off Cushion 

from 

"frozen" Ball. 

Eugene Carter. 

Centre Ball 
yocsiighf lef-j- Twisf. 



71 



Remarkable' Scra+ch*^ 

by BeIM SaYLOR 

with both Objec-t- Balls 
close +o Side Cushion. 

Player essays 
Cushion fir8+ around 

+ he Table* 
but missing the 
first Balleffecfs/^ 
Count In the 
Mannershown/ 



Lef-f Twist. 



k: 



A^*SUTTON 

Special" 

^Made by +his player 
'in a minor Match. 



+ he Endeavor 
/+o get behind the 
^first Object Ball 
f( a sure three 
Cush I on Shot ) . 
^■Faulty Execution 
/^answers the Purpose,/ 
Syfhe Cue Bail taking^ 
s^four Cushions. 
yRightTwist. 



73 



PossI bllities 
of 
.Shooting in+heAir 

^A ProfessionaP 
/disgruntled and 
I finding wbat to him\ 
an impossible' 
posi tion, shoots 
^ hard, drawing Cue> 
Ball with heavy righ+\ 
SyTwist, taking five 
^Cushions. The Cue^ 
^ Ball meetsthe red 

I again going fo ^ 
Side Cushion effects 
the Count. 



N 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\. 



\ 



Free Hand Masse* 
W1^ Michaels . 



:\j 




'Heavy Reverse Twist 

an ex + remely 
difficult Stroke. 

F.C. Ives. 



Ano+her 
Heavy ReverseTwist 

F.C. Ives. 



^ 



76 



r 




77 



Sneak in'' 
Joe Van Lewen. 



78 




79 



Frank C. Ives . 

Heavy lef+ Twist. 
Draw off Cushion. 



80 



Back up'* 
F.C. Ives. 



82 



M asse 

'^around +he Table 

Made only bv 

Jacob Schaefer 

and 

Frank C. Ives . 



^ 



Ives 

with 23 Ounce Cue strikes 
Cue Ball with great Force. 
The red Ball is knocked from 
Table (it would otherwise 
t-ravel around and kick 
second Object Ball 
away ), the Countbeing 
effected by a Follow 
with natural Twist. 



rr 



84 



Wayman C. M9 Creery's 

Fancy, Shot, 
Cue Ball a lmos+ frozen to 
red is hit very hard on right 
Side . Cue Bail remains / 
stationary and spins. / 
Red Ball returning / 
strikes Cue Ball 'clead / 
in the Head ''^and the/ 
lather heavily loaded/ 

..•±l_ T. • III .. / 



wi+h Twist takes all 



the Cushion s 
and effects+he 



/ 



Count. 



/ 



/ 



( 



/ 

/ 

/This Shot 
/ derjionst rates 
/ fully the 

/ ^'Englishing 

of an 
Object Ball 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\ 



\ / 




A Sho+ at which 
Charles Sch aefer 

has no ecjual 

Draw wi+h 
Centre Ball. 



86 



FrankC.Ives 

■pa m o u s 
9 Cushion 

Shof. 



Possible 

ly +o 
,hard Hitter/ 

Centre Ball) 



rine 



Righ+Twisf. 



87 




88 



Byron S.Gillette. 

Hard wi+h 
Draw off Cushion . 
Heav^ left Twist. 



-o- 



Byron S.Gillette 
Swing Draw 

Heavy right Twists 



t 



^^ 



89 



Byron S. Gillette 

Follow Stroke. 
Rig hi Twisf. 



— o« 



90 



Jacob Schaefer. 

Draw S+roke . 
Hea vy righ+ Twis+. 



o 



T.J.Gallagher 

Tremendous Force. 
Heavy nghf Twis+. 



Four Cushions . 
Jacob Schaefer. 

Right Twis+. 






Masse 
on Side Rail. 

T.J.Gallagher 

Lef+ Twist 



Three Cushions by hi+fing 
End Rai I +wice . 
Jacob Schaefer. 

Left Twist. 




Bank Sho+ 

by 
W. H. Catton 

Lef+ Twist. 



The Anchor" 

a+ +hree Cushions. 
Ama'feurs usually bank around 
Ihe Table , securing one Poinf but 
separating +he Balls. 

Professionals try to make 
several Points and some Times 
succeed . 

Heavy right Twist, 

Maurice Vignaux 

Champion of France. 



Twice across" 

First Objec+ Ball "frozen" on 
End Rail 

F.C. Ives . 

Righ-f- Twis-h, 
Top Ball. 



'Shown by a Man Ihey say 

any Body cBn beat. 

Heavy lef+ Twist. 




The grea+estShot e\/er\i)ade 
A Draw around the TableSaidy 
+o be possible to only one 
Man Prof. KaarleSS 
t-he Belgian fancy 
Shot Player. 
Heavy right" Twist". 



96 

CHAMPIONS OF AMERICA. 

June 9, 1863, to May 16, 1865— Dudley Kava- 
nagh. Won first tournament for championship, 
4-ball game, 6x12 table, four pockets, 2% balls, 
push and crotch allowed, 500-point games. 
Won matches, 1,500 points, for championship, 
against Jno, Seereiter, Philip Tieman (2), Wm. 
Goldthwait (2). 

May 16, 1865, to September 7, 1865 -Louis Fox. 
Received forfeit from Kavanagh. 

September 7, 1865, to May 23, 1866— Jno. Deery. 
Beat Fox; received forfeit from Carme; beat 
McDevitt. 

May 23, 1866, to December 11, 1867 -Jos. Dion 
Beat Deery-McDevitt (2), and won forfeit from 
E. H. Nelms. 

December 11, 1867, to expiration — Jno. Mc- 
Devitt. Beat J. Dion, the game having been 
changed to crotch barred ; got decision over 
Melvin Foster ; beat J. Dion, the game being 
changed for second time since its inception to a 
51^x11 table. (McDevitt was lost in Chicago 
fire.) 

May 10, 1869, to March 5, 1870 — Jno. Deery. 
Won New York tournament at 4-ball game, 
push and crotch barred, 1,200-point games ; beat 
Melvin Foster ; beat Cyrille Dion. 

March 5, 1870, to January 11, 1871 — A. P. Ru- 
dolphe. Beat Deery, C. Dion, J. Dion. 

January 11, 18T1, to April 26, 1871 — Frank Par- 
ker. Beat A. P. Rudolphe. 

April 26, 1871, to May 16, 1873 — Cyrille Dion. 
Beat Frank Parker, Melvin Foster, Jno. Deery, 
Maurice Daly. 

May 16, 1873, to October 2, 1873— Maurice Daly. 
Beat Cyrille Dion. 



I 



97 

October 2, 1873, to October 6, 1873— Albert Gar- 
nier. Beat Maurice Daly. 

October 6, 1873, to expiration — Cyrille Dion. 
Received forfeit from A. Garnier ; beat Ru- 
dolphe with the record-breaking average of 
4Q2o/^j, The 4-ball game went out of exist- 
ence, and the diamond cue became personal 
property. 

June 30, 1873, to December 10, 1874 — Albert 
Garnier. Won first tournament at 3-ball 
game — championship of world — games, 300 
points ; was champion of both 4-ball and 
3-ball from October 2 to 6 ; beat C. Dion, 
Francois Ubassy, Maurice Daly. 

December 10, 1874, to February 22, 1875 — A. P. 
Rudolphe. Beat Garnier. 

February 22, 1875, to expiration— Maurice Vig- 
naux. Beat Rudolphe for challenge cup repre- , 
senting championship of the world; took it with 
him to France ; defended it against Sexton, and 
it became his personal property. 

November 13, 1874, to April 26, 1875— Maurice 
Vignaux. Won tournament for American 
championship ; beat A. P. Rudolphe and C. 
Dion. 

April 26, 1875, to June 12, 1875-Albert Garnier. 
Received forfeit from Vignaux. 

June 12, 1875, to November 23, 1875— Maurice 
Daly. Received forfeit from Garnier. 

November 23, 1875, to December 14, 1875 — C. 
Dion. Beat Daly. 

December 14, 1875, to November 16, 1876— A. 
Garnier. Received forfeit from C. Dion. 

November 16, 1876, to May 31, 1877 — Joseph 
Dion. Beat Garnier. 



98 

May 31, 1877, to expiration — Wm. Sexton. 
Beat J. Dion, C. Dion, Geo. F. Slosson (2). The 
American championship emblem became Sex- 
ton's personal property December 27, 1878. 

February 10, 1879, to expiration — Jacob 
Schaefer. Won tournament for championship 
(Cooper Union); beat Slosson — 1,000 points in 
three innings — and never challenged ; the cup 
became Schaefer's personal property, 

November 24, 1879, to January 10, 1880 — Wm. 
Sexton. Won New York tournament at the 
champion's game. 

January 10, 1880, to June 19, 18S0 — Jacob 
Schaefer. Beat Sexton (2). 

June 19, 1880, to expiration — Geo. F. Slosson. 
Beat Jacob Schaefer (2). 

May 14, 1883 — Maurice Daly. Won tourna- 
ment for H. W. Gollender championship at 
cushion caroms (414x9 table), but returned 
medal to donor. 

April G, 1883, to expiration — Jacob Schaefer. 
Won Chicago tournament, at 8-inch balk line ; 
beat Geo. Slosson in only match played for the 
emblem. 

December 8, 1888, to December, 1889— Eugene 
Carter. Won shortstop championship, Schaefer 
and Slosson barred ; tournament 14-inch balk 
line. 

December, 1889, to January, 1890— Frank C. 
Ives. Forfeit of Eugene Carter, shortstop 
championship. 

January, 1890, to March, 1890 — Frank Maggi- 
oli. Shortstop championship forfeit from F. C. 
Ives ; beat Wm. Hatley. 

March, 1890, to expiration — F. C. Ives. Short- 
stop championship forfeit from F. Maggioli^ 



99 

December 1, 1890, to March 19, 1892 — Jacob 
Schaefer. Won challenge cup (14-inch balk line 
championship) from Geo. F. Slosson ; beat Car- 
ter. 

February 16, 1891, to April 29, 1891 — Eugene 
Carter. Won tournament for second shortstop 
championship, Schaefer and Slosson barred ; 
14-inch balk line. 

April 29, 1891, to expiration — Frank C. Ives. 
Beat Carter for above championship. 

March 19, 1892 — Frank C. Ives. Won chal- 
lenge cup (14-inch balk line championship) from 
Jacob Schaefer ; beat G. F. Slosson. In 1893 the 
donors claimed the cup, and Ives relinquished 
it to them. 

December 4, 1897, to February 5, 1898 — Geo. 
F. Slosson. Won championship tournament, 
18-inch balk line— no shot in anchor or balk. 

Februarys, 1898— Jacob Schaefer. Beat Geo. 
F. Slosson. 



WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE 
CHAMPIONS? 

Dudley Kavanagh lives in New York City. 
He is connected with the B.-B.-C. Co. 

Louis Fox is supposed to have committed sui- 
cide at Rochester, N. Y. 

John Deery lives in New York City. He is a 
teacher of billiards. 

Joseph Dion has for fifteen years been an in- 
mate of an asylum for the insane. He is now 
at Blackwell's Island, N. Y. 

John McDevitt was lost in the Chicago fire, 
October 9, 1871. 

A. P. Rudolphe died in Paris, France, 1893. 



100 

Shortly before his death he ran 148 from the 
spot in a game of 14-inch balk line with F. C. 
Ives. 

Frank Parker lived in Chicago. He died 
February 27, 1898. 

Cyrille Dion is dead, 

Maurice Daly lives in New York City and 
keeps a big billiard-room. 

Albert Garnier lives in Paris, France. He is 
said to be worth one million francs. 

Maurice Vignaux lives in Paris, France. Of 
late he has been troubled with rheumatism. 

William Sexton lives in New York City. He 
is engaged in the billiard business. 

Jacob Schaefer makes his home in Chicago. 

George F. Slosson lives in New York City and 
rivals Dal^?- as a billiard-room proprietor. 

Frank C. Ives lives in New York City. He is 
interested in mining, bookmakingy and a bil- 
liard-room. 

Of the shortstop champions, all are living in 
the United States, except E. Carter, who, for 
some years abroad, now calls Barcelona, Spain, 
his home, and is there a star in the billiard 
academy. 



THE STORY OF THE CHAMPION- 
SHIP. 

FOUR-BALL. 

Dudley Kavanagh, who in tournament won 
the first billiard championship of America, is 
still alive, a hale and hearty gentleman, living 
in New York City. The youth of American bil- 
liards is apparent when its history is spanned 
by the life of an individual of sixty years of 



101 

age. Kavanagh's win of the title of champion 
was in 1863, and four years before this he had 
played a match at Detroit with Michael Foley 
(still a resident of the biggest and prettiest of 
the cities of Michigan) the evening prior to 
the decision of the yet much-talked-of $15,000 
match between Michael Phelan and John See- 
reiter. Michael Phelan was, beyond a doubt, 
the best player of his day, although in speed 
Seereiter is said to have outclassed him. As 
Kavanagh vs. Foley and Phelan vs. Seereiter 
matches were played under like conditions, it 
is seen that in 1859 Phelan was by 25 per cent a 
better player than Kavanagh, although the 
latter scored a run of 177, as against the 157 of 
Seereiter. 

A young man named Bernard Chrystal was 
the most promising player of the years 1857 and 
1858 (he died in 1859 at the age of twenty-four), 
his record showing him to be the equal of See- 
reiter at the carom game, and the superior of 
Kavanagh where "hazards" (pocketing the 
balls) counted. 

When, in 1863, Kavanagh won the first cham- 
pionship, the conditions were akin to those of 
the Phelan-Seereiter match other than in the 
particular of the elimination of the side pock- 
ets, and as the champion's grand average was 
only 151/^, as against the 12i/^ of Phelan in 
1859, it can not be said that any improvement in 
the speed of billiards had been shown in the 
intervening four years. Kavanagh made a 
single average of 33^^ and a high run of 203. 
John Deery made a run of 313 in the crotch. In 
the first tournament played in America — that of 
October, 1860, New York City— Kavanagh had 
won four games and lost none, so taking first 



102 

prize. The games were played on a 6x12 car- 
om table, with 2% balls, pushing and crotching 
allowed. Here Kavanagh made a grand aver- 
age of 20J^, a single average of 29%7, and a 
high run of 144. Philip Tieman, who took 
second prize, made a high run of 185. 

Although billiardists of the present scout the 
idea, it is barely possible that perfection of 
tools as well as methods of play has been in- 
strumental in developing billiard speed. Cer- 
tain it is that Michael Phelan was a marvel of 
ease and grace while engaged at play, and his 
style might be copied to advantage by the 
purely niechanica-l, methodical shortstops of 
to-day. Dudley Kavanagh, if asked to show 
his stroke, can hit a ball as clean as the next. 
But the expert of 1860 was hooked to a high- 
wheeled sulky, so to speak, while the dudish 
amateur of 1898, who lispingly disparages the 
game of Phelan (justly called "the father of 
billiards "), spins his feeble efforts on ball bear- ■ 
ings. Four months only was Kavanagh al- 
lowed to hold the title undisputed. Then See- 
reiter tackled him and was beaten half the 
game, the champion scoring 1,500 on a 17 aver- 
age, with a high run of 151. In April, 1864, 
Kavanagh held the emblem against Tieman, 
who scored 1,265 to the winner's 1,.500. The 
averages and runs were below the record. To 
show that he was still the star, Michael Phelan, 
on the night following Kavanagh's victory over 
Tieman, beat the champion (push shot and 
crotch barred) by 1,000 to 965, the winner's av- 
erage being 8^^, his high run 56. Goldthwait 
now played for the championship and met de- 
feat by 75 in 1,500, Kavanagh slightly bettering 
the record as to -average with 173^. Tieman 



103 

was aga,in defeated, this time easily, and Gold- 
thwait fell again. May 16, 1865, Kavanagh for- 
feited the championship to Louis Fox of Roch- 
ester, one of the contestants in the tournament 
of 1863. The style of game was still the same, 
and it may be as well to state that at this time 
Maurice Daly made his debut as a billiardist in 
a match for $50 a side, caroms and hazards, 
played on a 6 x 12 four-pocket table. Two weeks 
after Fox became champion a new star ap- 
peared in the person of John McDevitt, born 
and bred a Hoosier. 

Tieman and Goldthwait were matched for 
$2,500 a side, but the former, ill of rheumatism^ 
forfeited, but made a match for $1,000 a side for 
McDevitt to fill the date. Playing in Cincin- 
nati, McDevitt won 1,500 to 1,086, and estab- 
lished a new record as to average and high run 
—22% and 267, respectively. Two months there- 
after J. Dion also beat Kavanagh's record with 
21% in a match with Melvin Foster at Montreal. 
September 7th of the same year John Deery, at 
Rochester, N. Y., became champion by defeat- 
ing Louis Fox, McDevitt's record average was 
not beaten, but Fox made a record (276) for high 
run. The loser, some time after his defeat, was 
found dead in the river, and it has always been 
claimed that, crazed by grief, he committed 
suicide. 

In November, 1865, Kavanagh and the French- 
man, Pierre Carme, introduced an innovation 
by way of a first-class match on a table reduced 
in size to SJ^xll, and without pockets. The 
push shot was barred, but crotching allowed. 
New York saw Kavanagh the winner, ],.500 to 
1,339, with an average of 25 and a high run of 
132. Carme ran 178 ; 2%6^alls were used. 



104 

In January, 1866, Carme was matched to plaj'- 
Deery for the championship, but paid forfeit. 
On March 13th Deery beat McDevitt at Cooper 
Institute, New York, by a score of 1,500 to 1,145 ; 
but the winner's average was only 10, his high 
run 119. Deery lost the championship to J. 
Dion in the same hall a few weeks later, the 
Canadian averaging 10^. 

The disparity in the speed of this contest and 
the one which immediately followed may give 
some idea of the crippling of a champion by 
putting pockets on a match table. J. Dion beat 
Carme 750 to 491 on a 5J^ x 11 carom table, 2%6 
balls, push barred, crotching allowed, averag- 
ing 39, and running 297 with the balls in the 
jaw. 

J. Dion, October 5th, at Montreal, for the 
championship, defeated McDevitt 1,500 to 1,276, 
the loser breaking the high run record with 308, 
while the winner set the new mark of a 26 
average. October 30th, at Boston, McDevitt ran ■ 
409 in a match in which he defeated Goldthwait, 
May 27, 1867, E. H. Nelms, champion of Pennsyl- 
vania, ran 543 with 2% balls, on a 6 x 12 carom 
table, crotch barred, push shot allowed. 

When, June 10, 1867, McDevitt again essayed 
to win from J. Dion the championship Michael 
Phelan went to Montreal to referee the game. 
Dion won with a 19 average, but beat all records 
for high run, putting together 616 in the crotch. 
The inferior professionals now got to playing 
4-ball caroms on a 5^^ x 11 four-pocket table, 
push shot and crotch allowed, and on October 
21st, at Cincinnati, Melvin Foster made an aver- 
age of 100 in a 300-point game, and a grand 
average of 25 in 2,600 points, with a high run of 
194. Peter Snyder ran 288. 



105 

The crotch was barred in championship 
matches, and December 11th, at Montreal, John 
McDevitt became champion by beating J. Dion 
12 points in 1,500. The average was 13. Win- 
ner's high run, 181; loser's, 290. Cyrille Dion, 
on a 6 X 12 four-pocket table, 2% balls, had lately 
averaged 11^, and run 101, although both push 
shot and crotch were barred. 

On a oV^xll four-pocket table, 2% balls, push 
and crotch allowed. Champion McDevitt elec- 
trified the billiard world when, in a match with 
Goldthwait (New York, January 8, 1868), he ran 



P 



/ 



Posi + ion where 

M9 Devitt 



7| made his 14 83 m ihe 

C ro+ch . 



1,483 in the crotch, and in 1,500 scored an aver- 
age of 166%. When Melvin Foster hit McDevitt 
for the championship (Chicago, April 8th) the 
table had been reduced from 6x12 to 51^x11, but 
as when the Indianian wrested the trophy from 
Joe Dion, crotching was barred, but pushing 
allowed. This game broke up in a row ; but by 
the referee, McDevitt was declared the winner. 
The average, as far as was played, was 21 as 
against the 13 of the previous championship 
game, conclusively showing the way to in- 
crease speed at billiards is to cut down in size 
the table. 

Old-style billiards received a death-blow 
when, on September 16th, at Chicago, McDevitt, 
in a championship match with Joe Dion, ran 



106 

1,458, and averaged 166^, beating his man 1,500 
to 407. The first-class players soon barred both 
crotch and push. January 28, 1869, at Montreal, 

Posi + ioD of the Balls, when 
M9 Devitt ran 1458 with the push Shot, 
Cue Ball pushed on i-wo Reds .Then 
on Red and White. 
No Ball was ever Q 

outside of Lineof % 

f he Spot. • p. 



\ 



^1 



J. Dion and Melvin Foster so engaged to play 
1,200 points, four balls (2%), 53^x11 carom table. 
Dion won by 84 points, with an average of 36, 
and high run of 208. Foster ran 355. 

Now came the Irving Hall (New York) tour- 
nament for the championship (April 26 to May 
10, 1869), the emblem of which, the famous 
" diamond cue," for seven years was fought for, 
finally, in 1876, becoming the personal property 
of Cyrille Dion, The games were 1,200 points, 
caroms, played on a 5^^x11 four-pocket table, 
2% balls, push and crotch barred. Single 
caroms counted 3 points, doubles 6. Neither 
J. Dion or Jno. McDevitt were engaged. A. P. 
Rudolphe here made his first effort to win the 
championship, and Henry Rhines started for 
the first time in first-class company. 

Jno. Deery was returned the champion with 
a high run of 358, and grand average of 18^. 



107 

Foster, in playing off the tie for second money 
(won by Rudolphe), ran 402, and made a single 
average of SS%. The (Jay following the tourna- 
ment, Goldthwait, in a match with Maurice 
Daly, on a 5^4 X 11 carom table, averaged 52 in 
1,200. Deery beat Foster in a match for the dia- 
mond cue on an average of 20. About this time 
the 5 X 10 table began to be used by amateurs. 
Deery, in San Francisco, January 8, ISTQ, suc- 
cessfully defended the cue against Cyrille Dion, 
whom he beat by 11 points on a 15 average, and 
a month later repeated the dose, playing a 
somewhat better game. 

A. P. Rudolphe won the cue from Deery a 
month thereafter, and in twelve days beat the 
ex-champion in a $3,000 match. Rudolphe aver- 
aged 321^ and ran 312. The Frenchman beat 
Cyrille Dion a $500 match in New York City in 
May following, and in October defeated ex- 
champion Joe Dion, making an average of 
28^. Frank Parker of Chicago took the dia- 
mond ciie away from Rudolphe at Buffalo Jan- 
iiary 11, 1871, the winner's average being only 
183^^ and high run 144, but Cyrille Dion dispos- 
sessed the Chicagoan on April 26th, averaging 
193^. In June, Foster tried unsuccessfully to 
beat Cyrille Dion, who then played ■ a much 
superior game to that shown with Parker. 

In the fall of 1872 Deery tried for the diamond 
cue and failed. The tenth match for the cham- 
pionship was signalized by the second disgrace- 
ful scene known to American championship 
billiards as well as by the fact that for the first 
time a prizefighter was selected as referee of a 
billiard match. Cyrille Dion and Maurice Daly 
contested in Irving Hall, New York City, and 
Jno C. Heenan was the referee, Budd Scofield 



108 

acting as marker. The latter was said to have 
neglecte.d to mark up 15 points made by Daly, 
and when this player stood at 1,490, presumably 
having 10 to go, some partisan shouted "Daly 
is out." Dion stood at 1,486. Heenan finally 
decided the game a draw, and a week later it 
was played over, Dion winning 1,500 to 1,147. 
It is a certainty that Heenan, under the rules, 
would have been justified in ordering Dion tol 
play on, after making official announcement that' 
the score stood 1,490 to 1,486, as there is some old 
r ul e of billiards which states that mistakes on the 
string can not be rectified after the opponent 
has scored a point. Scofield's announcement, 
*'Daly, 1,505; Dion, 1,486. Daly is the winner 
of the game," was entirely out of place, and 
caused all the trouble. The marker has no 
more to say about the game than an outsider. 
Heenan should have reprimanded Scofield and 
ordered the game to proceed. May 16, 1873, 
Maurice Daly became champion, averaging 
26%, with high run of 195. October 2d Albert 
Garnier played the twelfth match for the dia- 
mond cue and became the champion, beating 
Daly 276 points on a 3134 average. Daly had a 
high run of 249. Garnier, four days later, 
resigned the cue into the hands of H. W. Col- 
lender, the donor, claiming that the 4-ball 
game of billiards was no longer America's 
national game, it having been superseded by the 
3-ball game. The cue reverted to Cyrille Dion, 
he having challenged the winner of the Garnier- 
Daly match. Its diamond tip was something 
unique in billiard emblems. The final match 
for its possession was played in Tammany Hall, 
New York, April 7, 1876, A. P. Rudolphe being 
the challenger. C. Dion won, beating all 



I 



records with a 40% average, and "railroading " 
the Frenchman, whose total was 392. This was 
the last time first-class experts played the 4- 
ball game on a 5^^ x 11 table with four pockets. 

Geo. F. Slosson, September 9, 1873, at Kings- 
bury Hall, Chicago, scored 2,000 points, at a 
142i%4 average, and ran 534, the table being 
a 5 X 10 carom. His opponent, Jno. Bessun- 
g^er, made a total of 216 points. 

BEST RECORDS. 

Four-ball Game — 6x12 six-pocket table, 2% 
balls, push and crotch allowed. Run 177, by 
Dudley Kavanagh, Detroit, April 11, 1859. Aver- 
age 1232/j^g4 in 2,000 points, by Michael Phelan, 
Detroit, April 12, 1859. Average I411/26 in 1,500 
points, by Kavanagh, New York, April 23, 1863. 

Four-ball Game— Carom table, 6x12, 2% balls, 
push and crotch allowed. Run 156, by Philip 
Tieman. Average 29%7, by D. Kavanagh, New 
York, Oct. 31, 1860. Made in deciding game of 
first tournament ever played at any style game. 

Four-ball Game — 6x12 four-pocket table, 2% 
balls, push and crotch allowed (conditions of. 
first championship tournament, won by Dudley 
Kavanagh, New York, June 9, 1863). Run 616 
(crotch), Jos. Dion, Montreal, June 10, 1867. 
Average 255%g, Jos. Dion, Montreal, October 5, 
1866 — for championship. 

Four-ball Game— 6 x 12 four-pocket table, 2% 
balls, push allowed, crotch barred. Run 290, Jos. 
Dion. Average, John McDevitt, 13i%i4 (match 
for championship', Montreal, December 11, 1867. 

Four-ball Game— 51/^x11 four-pocket table, 2% 
balls, push allowed, crotch barred. Run 1,458, 
and average 166^. Made by John McDevitt 
(match with J. Dion), Chicago, Sept. 16, 1868. 
8 



110 

Four-ball Game — 5i/^xll table, four-pockets, 
2% balls, push and crotch allowed. Run 1,483 
(crotch), and average 166%. Made by Jno. Mc- 
Devitt, in match with Goldthwait, at Boston, 
January 8, 1868. 

Four-ball Game — 5^/^ x 11 carom table, 2%6 
balls, crotch allowed, push barred. Run^ Jos. 
Dion, 297 (crotch) . Average 39%9 (match with P. 
Carme), New York City, May 24, 1866. In match 
for $1,000, New York City, Nov. 4, 1P65, under 
s.ame conditions, Dudley Kavanagh averaged 25, 
and his opponent, Pierre Carme, ran 178. 

Four-ball Game —6x12 caroni table, 2% balls, 
crotch barred, push allowed. Run 543, and 
average 333^, E. H. Nelms, Philadelphia, Pa., 
May 27, 1867. 

Four -ball Game — 5^x11 four-pocket table, 
2% balls, push and crotch allowed. Run 288, 
Peter Snyder. Average 100 in 300-point game, 
and grand average of 253^^03 iii 2,673 points, 
Melvin Foster. Both performances made in 
tournament of October, 1867, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Four-ball Game —53^ x 11 carom table, 2% 
balls, push and crotch barred. Run 355, Melvin 
Foster. Average 3612/33, Jos. Dion, match 1,200 
points, Montreal, January 28, 1869. 

Four-ball Game — 5)^ x 11 carom table, 2% 
balls, push and crotch barred, new style count, 
single caroms 3, doubles 6. Run 219, and aver- 
age 52%3. Made by Wm. Goldthwait in match 
with M. Daly, New York City, May 11, 1869. 

Four-ball Game— SJ^xll four-pocket table, 
2% balls, push and crotch barred, single caroms 
counted 3, doubles 6. Run 358, Jno. Deery, tour- 
nament instituting championship, represented 
by diamond cue. New York City, April, 1869. 
Average 402%^, Cyrille Dion, New York, April 



Ill 

7, 1876, in last match for diamond cue. Melvin 
Foster in play-off with P. Snyder, May 12, 1869,ran 
492, and C. Dion in match, Nov. 29, 1872, ran 321. 

Four-ball Game— 5 x 10 carom table, 2% balls, 
push and crotch barred. Run 534, and average 
142i%4. Made in 2,000-point match with John Bes- 
sunger, Chicago, Sept. 9, 1873, by Geo. F. Slosson. 

Irving Hall, New York, June 1 to 9,1863 — 
4-ball championship of America — carom game, 
500 points, 2% balls, 6x12 4-pocket table, push- 
ing and crotching allowed. First prize, gold- 
mounted cue and $750 billiard table; second 
prize, $250 in money. 

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10, 1869 — 4-ball diamond cue championship and 
money prizes to the amount of $2,500— games, 
1,200 points, caroms, 5}^ x 11 4-pocket table, 2% 
balls, push and crotch barred. Single caroms 
to count three, double ones, six. 



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The tie was played off. 

Jno. Derry, first prize, $1,000 and cue ; A. P. 
Rudolphe, second prize, $625; Melvin Foster, 
third prize, $475 ; P. Snyder, fourth prize, $275 ; 
H. Rhines, fifth prize, $125. 

Note.— Best average means best winning 
average. 



\ 113 

THE STORY OF THE CHAM- 
PIONSHIP. 

THREE-BALL, THE FRENCH GAME, AFTER- 
WARD DUBBED " STRAIGHT-RAIL." 

Michael Phelan, when in San Francisco in the 
year 1855, played best two in three with a 
Frenchman named Damon, to whom, in 100-point 
games, he conceded the odds of 20 per cent. 
The stakes were $500 a side. A 6x12 carom 
table and 2% balls were used. Phelan won the 
second and third games. The highest run was 
9 (Phelan), and it took seven hours to play the 
match, of which no average was kept. Return- 
ing to the East, Phelan, in 1857, easily beat 
Ralph Benjamin, conceding 20 per cent on a 
6 X 12 six-pocket table, and, as Bernard Chrystal 
likewise defeated Benjamin, it is probable that 
Chrystal would have had a chance against 
Phelan on even terms. 

In 1863, two months after Kavanagh had won 
the championship at the 4-ball game, he beat 
Isidore Gayraud, 150 to 141, for $100 a side, 
averaging 1*9^00? c)n a 6x12 four-pocket table. 
Winner's high run, 11; loser's, 10. 

In October, 1865, Pierre Carme beat Dudley 
Kavanagh, for $1,000 a side, by a score of 250 to 
224. Average, 24%oi; ^^S^ run, 19. The table 
was 51^ X 11, carom ; the balls 2%6- 

A. P. Rudolphe's advent in 1868 gave an im- 
petus to the French game, and at once the new 
i arrival was engaged in short games with Melvin 
Foster, who was as good, if not better, than the 
Frenchman. In these games runs of 28 and 29 
were shown. 

September 11th Rudolphe beat Deery, 150 to 
100, averaged 5 and ran 30. Foster beat Deery 



114 

on less than a 3 average, and ran 40 ; and later 
the same player beat J. Dion, 300 to 296, on less 
than a 2 average. Best run by winner, 21; loser, 
11. The last-mentioned games were played on 
a 5^x11 carom table; but in April, 1869, Deery 
and Foster met on a four-pocket table and the. 
latter again won, with a 2% average. With like 
tools C. Dion beat John McDevitt, 300 to 299^ 
average, 2. Ed. Daniels beat Melvin Foster 
with a 2% average and a high run of 17. 

John W. Coon beat Frank Parker 1 point in 
500, played on a 5^^x11 carom table (Chicago,} 
April 25, 1870). The winner averaged 2% and 
ran 24. In January, 1871, Rudolphe beat Gar-^ 
nier (5^^ x 11 table), 600 to 420, averaged SS/n and 
ran 72. Yet, in April, at San Francisco, '*Ru" 
fell before J. Dion, who averaged 4% on a 5 x 10 
table. The latter ran 107 and averaged nearly 
9 at New Orleans before the year was out, but 
on what size table is not known ; and Garnier 
averaged 10^ in a game with Daly at Titusville, 
Pa., December 7th. Most likely a small table 
was used. 

C. Dion began the season of 1872 with a run 
of 109, made on a 5 x 10 table in New York. In 
the fall Daly beat Deery on a 5 x 10, two matches 
of 500 and 600 respectively, and made a grand 
average of nearly 6}/^, with high runs of 54 
and 59. 

In 1873 Francois Ubassy ran 83 and averaged 
16 in 300 in a game with Henry Miller at New 
Orleans, and agam on a 5 x 10 made an average 
of 12^7 in 300. 

June 12, 1873, Ubassy at Chicago made 800 
points in a match with John Bessunger on a 
17% average and ran 116 (5 x 10 table). 

The first tournament in America at the 3-ball 



115 

game ^or the championship of the world was 
held in New York City in June, 1873, and 
played on a 5 x 10 table. There started Albert 
Garnier, C. Dion, and M. Daly (the three tied 
for first money with 4 winning and 1 losing 
game), Ubassy, J. Dion, and J. Deery.. Garnier 
won the play-off and C. Dion got second 
money. The winner's best run was 113, his 
best average in 7 games 12, but Ubassy made a 
single average of ll'^Vij. Oct. 9, 1873, saw the first 
meeting of Slosson and Schaef er. At Indianap- 
olis, Ind., the former won, 500 to 321, and aver- 
aged 5%i. Schaefer made the high run, 45. 

November 8th, at Chicago, Slosson, averaging 
5%, beat M. Daly, who conceded him 100 in 600, 
by 7 points. 

November 10th began the Chicago tournament, 
having all the starters of its New York prede- 
cessor except Deery, with Slosson, Bessunger, 
and P. Snyder added. Garnier and Ubassy 
tied for first prize, the former winning the 
play-off. C. Dion was third and Daly fourth. 
Garnier had best single average, 17%3, and 
best grand average, 9i%5. M. Daly had high 
run, 153, while J. Dion's 124 was the only other 
century. 

In December, Garnier held the cup from C. 
Dion by 600 to 480, averaging 10 and running 68. 
The champion, in January, 1874, beat Ubassy 
600 to 460, averaging 8, with high run of 108. 

March 12, 1874, Rudolphe, at New Orleans, 
beat Slosson 400 to 227 on a 4i^x9 table, averag- 
ing 30i%3. Slosson ran 106. 

April 3d, Garnier successfully defended the 
cup against M. Daly, 600 to 380, averaging 12^, 
with high run of 75. 

The National Billiard tournament (New 



116 

York, November 4, 1874) for $2,500 in prizes and 
an emblem, was contested by M. Vignaux (his 
first appearance in America), Garnier, Daly, 
J. Dion, C. Dion, Rudolphe, Ubassy, Slosson, 
and Daniels. Vignaux won, losing only one 
game, with a grand average of 101=^, and a high 
run of 159. Garnier and Daly divided second 
and third money, Vignaux received $1,351, and 
Ubassy and Slosson (tied for sixth and seventh) 
were paid $122 each. Garnier's grand average 
was ll^ig. J. Dion, who got fourth money, had 
a higher grand average than Vignaux, and ran 
190. Ed. Daniels, who had a clean score of los- 
ing games, made the highest run, 249. Daly, 
March 3d of the same year, in a match with 
Cyrille Dion, had run 212, but in the above tour- 
nament Slosson tied it, while, besides Daniels, 
Rudolphe, Ubassy, and C. Dion beat it. 

Rudolphe beat Garnier for the challenge cup 
December 10th, and became "the champion of 
the world " technically. The winner's average 
was 142%! ; his best run 161. On December 30th 
Vignaux won a match from J. Dion, and ran 
192. On Washington's Birthday, 1875, Vignaux 
defeated Rudolphe for the world's champion- 
ship (challenge cup), and the following night 
successfully held against the same player the 
champion medal won in the tournament of 
November, 1874. In the second game the double- 
headed champion made a new record for 600- 
point match of a 15i%9 average. Vignaux for- 
feited the medal emblematic of American cham- 
pionship to Garnier April 26th, and two days 
later the pair played a match for $500 a side, 
Garnier winning 600 to 258 on a 13 average. 
The medal held by Garnier was by him for- 
feited to M. Daly June 12th. 



117 

Wm. Sexton about this time showed an aver- 
age of 9 in a mat«;h with Byron Gillette at 
Corning, N. Y., and in November, dropping 
. into the Columbia Billiard-room, N. Y. (now, 
1898, kept by Slosson), Sexton "took on" Ru- 
dolphe, and in short games for small money, 
beat the Frenchman 33 out of 35. Rudolphe 
said Sexton was of no class and must beat 
somebody before being eligible to the coming 
tournament, and Sexton thus settled matters. 

The week of November 15th witnessed the 
tournament for the $3,500 presented by Geo. L. 
Lorillard, the great turfman. C. Dion and his 
brother Joe tied for first money, the older 
man winning the play-off. Slosson, Sexton, 
and Garnier (the promoter of the tourney) split 
the third and fourth prizes. Maurice Daly and 
A. P. Rudolphe also started. Both C. Dion and 
Garnier made a single average (300-point game) 
of 30. Sexton made the highest run, 136. 

November 23d Cyrille Dion, for the third time 
(first at 3-ball game) became champion of 
America, Daly being beaten 43 points in 600 on 
a 121^ average. 

December 14th Albert Garnier was, for the 
fourth time, the champion, C. Dion forfeiting. 

January 27, 1876, Sexton beat Slosson 600 to 
482, tying Vignaux's record average of 15i%9. 

Sexton went to France after the challenge 
cup and the world's championship held by 
Vignaux, but the Frenchman beat him (Paris, 
March 31st) 600 to 459, and established the new 
record of an average of 19ii/^i, the loser mak- 
ing the highest run, 129. 

The Centennial tournament (Philadelphia, 
May 15th), foi: $5,000 in prizes, challenge-cup 
rules, showed Sexton to be the best American 



118 

billiardist. He won first money, losing one 
game out of nine ; made a single average of 60 
(300-point game), a grand average of 14i%8) 
and a high run of 287 — in the three particulars 
beating all records. Garnier was second, Slos- 
son third, J. Dion fourth, Daly fifth. Rudolphe, 
Bessunger, C. Dion, Louis Shaw, and Melvin 
Foster also started. 

The Centennial tournament is the one of 
which it is said that Jacob Schaefer was un- 
fairly barred out. 

Rudolphe "woke up" after a sleep of some 
years and astonished everybody when, on June 
16th, he won the Irving Hall (New York) tourna- 
ment from Sexton, Garnier, and Slosson, who 
finished as named. There were two ties in the 
tournament proper — Sexton and Rudolphe for 
first, Slosson and Garnier for third. 

Rudolphe's grand average for the four games 
(16%3) beat the record, and Slosson's run of 311 
(play-off with Garnier, which game he lost) set 
a new mark. 

September 6th, at Chicago, Slosson beat Sex- 
ton at the Brunswick Billiard-room, 1,000 to 593 
(two nights), and made a grand average of 27. 

J. Dion, for the first time, became champion 
at the 3-ball game, November 16th, through 
his defeat of Garnier. The average was only 
816/23. 

T. J. Gallagher, a shortstop, had, a month 
previous, averaged 17 in a match for the Ohio 
championship, played with Eugene Carter. 

The Tammany Hall (N. Y.) tournament of 
November 20, 1876, for money prizes, was played 
with 2%6 balls. This saw the debut of Jacob 
Schaefer. Other contestants were: Jos. Dion, 
who won first prize; Rudolphe, second prize; 



Slosson, third prize (he with J. Dion and 
Rudolphe, was tied for first money, but was 
forced to leave for New Orleans); i^lbert Gar- 
nier, fourth prize; Maurice Daly, and Cyrille 
Dion. Schaefer won 2 and lost 4 games, his 
general average being 7%; best single average, 
121^; high run, 155. 

January 5, 1877, Sexton and Slosson played a 
three-night match (600 each night) at New 
Orleans. Sexton won 1,800 to 1)76, averaging 
243^, with a record-breaking run of 417. 

May 31, 1877, at Tammany Hall (N.Y.), Sexton 
got the American championship from J. Dion 
by averaging 12, with high run of 247. Dion 
made 442 points. 

Vignaux, at Paris, France, in December, 
averaged 20, and ran 231 in 5,000 points, ten- 
night match with Plot, who headed his man 
the first and fifth nights. 

Eugene Mangin, at Paris, France, made a 
run of 317 in a match January 2, 1878. Sexton, 
at New Orleans, February 5th, averaged 27% in 
1,000-point match with J. Dion; high run, 228, by 
the winner. Sexton. 



O 
Q 



P O' 



Schaefer's " Rail Nurse." 
The handicap billiard tournament, at Mus- 
sey's Billiard-room, St. Louis, Mo., March 21st 
to 28th, gave Jacob Schaefer to the world as a 



O 3 



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Schaefer s " Rail Nurse '' 
phenomenon, as he, tying C. Dion for the first 
prize ($200), beat him in the play-off, and in this 
game, with 429, beat Sexton's New Orleans 
record for high run (417). Schaefer also beat 
Sexton's record for best single average (60) 



121 

made at Philadelphia in Centennial tourna- 
ment, with 6Q%, and his grand average was 
within a small fraction of 28, (also a new mark). 
Although Slosson was in this tournament, 
Schaefer's play so far outclassed all others that 
he was immediately advertised as the coming 
champion. Wayman C. McCreery (conceded 20 
per cent) and T. J. Gallagher (10 per cent) were 
the other contestants; and the amateur finished 
absolutely last, Slosson landing third prize. 

June 27th, at Tammany Hall (N. Y.), Cham- 
pion Wm. Sexton beat Slosson 600 to 338, and 
marked up the match record average to 28^^. 

July 3d, Sexton, by "Wilkes Spirit," was paid 
the $1,000 forfeit posted by Schaefer for a big 
money match, 1,000 points to be played in each 
New York, Chicago, and St. Louis, the high- 
est total to win. Through some mistake 
Schaefer's final deposit was not posted, al- 
though his backer would probably have will- 
ingly bet $20,000 on his man. 

Vignaux (Paris, France), November, defeated 
Eugene Mangin 1,000 to 979, the game showing 
that the big Frenchmen were still equal if not 
superior to American billiardists. The winner 
ran 195, 210, and 360; the loser, 160, 320, and 492. 
(So saith the record, but it looks like a pipe 
dream.) 

November 20th, at Chicago, Slosson beat 
Schaefer 1,000 to 739, with an average of 2525/39 
and a high run of 293. The loser ran 21"^. 

The medal first won by Vignaux in the 1874 
tournament became the personal property of 
William Sexton when, on December 27th, he 
defeated Slosson, 600 to 468, with a 2020/^9 aver- 
age and a high run of 158 against the 140 of his 
long time rival. 



122 

Vignaux had the challenge cup in France, 
and now there was in America no emblem for 
the championship. 

Hitherto the championship, as other tourna^ 
ments held in the East, had been promulgated 
and sustained by Eastern manufacturers; but 
in January, 1879, the Western house of Bruns- 
w^ick & Balke got a foothold in New York City 
and advertised $2,000 in prizes and a challenge 
emblem for the championship, to be held two 
years before becoming personal property. And 
here is where Jacob Schaefer became the 
American champion, the wizard going 
through without a skip with seven winning 
and no losing games. His grand average was 
a fraction over 28, his best single average 85^^7, 
his high run 376. Slosson, who won second 
money, broke the American record for high 
runs with 464, and also the record for general 
average with 37%. Sexton was third, Daly 
fourth. Garnier, Gallagher, Rudolphe, and 
Heiser were the other contestants. 



X 

I 



o 



The old Way 
of 

Playing The Rail" 



May 15th, Champion Schaefer knocked all rec- 
ords cold, when in Chicago (McCormick's Hall) 
he scored 1,000 points (5, 690, 305) in three in- 
nings, leaving Slosson at 44. The championship 
emblem given by Brunswick & Balke was 
never again played for, and since has, at one 



123 

time or another, adorned the shelf in Schaefer's 
several billiard-rooms. 

A. P. Rudolphe seemed to have for the last 
time "lost his grip," and after losing matches 
for his own money with the shortstops Car- 
ter and Morris, his defeat by Heiser filled the 
cup, and he left America forever. 

April 10, 1880, Vignaux, following the lead of 
Schaefer, killed three-ball billiards (now called 
straight rail) in France, when, in a 4,00C-match 
with Slosson (five nights, 800 each night), he 
won with an average of 80, and showed a high 
run of 1,531. Slosson's total was 3,118, and his 
high run (made in one night) 1,103. 

Amateur Wayman C. McCreery of St. Louis, 
during the week of May 1st, scored 2,507 points 
at a 21 V^ average, with a high run of 241, but 
was beaten by Lon Morris, the shortstop profes- 
sional, the winner making 3,000 (five nights, 
blocks of 600 points). 

October 25th, at the Grand Cafe, Paris, France, 
A. P. Rudolphe came to himself and beat 
Lucien Piot 600 to 530, with a 23 average. 

" Straight rail," thought to be dead the world 
over, again came to life through the marvelous 
work of Harvey McKenna, who, in Cleveland, 
May 12 and 13, 1885, was beaten on a 26 average 
in a two-nights' match (1,500 each night) by Eu- 
gene Carter. McKenna had shown great speed 
in practice, and often ran 1,000. Carter's backer, 
Geo. Forbes, the Canadian sprinter and horse- 
man, won in the neighborhood of $10,000 on the 
match. McKenna was beaten at San Francisco 
by Lon Morris, but ran over 1,600 at a single 
break on a' 4^x9 table. Bets were declared off 
by the referee, Ben Saylor. 

At Bumstead Hall, Boston, Mass., December 



124 

21 and 22, 1887, McKenna, in a 5,000-point exhibi' 
tion game with Fred Eames, made runs of 2,57J 
and 2,121, and averaged 416^. 

In 1889 Catton matched McKenna against' 
Jacob Schaefer for $2,500 a side, and the game 
was to have taken place in November. Schae- 
fer's wife dying, his backer paid $500 for a 
postponement to the following January. Be- 
fore the date set McKenna was dead of con- 
sumption. 

The last prominent match at straight rail was 
that of Schaefer vs. McCleery, San Francisco, 
May 29, 30, 31, 1890, the wizard conceding 
the odds of discount on a 4i^ x 9 table, for $200 a 
side. Schaefer's score : 0, 4, 0, 3,000. McCleery 
made a total of 15. 

F. C. Ives, then the champion shortstop, 
was with Schaefer on his Western trip. He at 
once offered McCleery 1,000 in 3,000 for $500 a 
side, and the other accepting it was purposed to 
play in blocks of 1,500. However, as Schaefer 
and Ives thought ill of canceling an overlooked 
date at Los Angeles, Ives agreed to play the 
3,000 straight away. Ives ran 982 the first 
inning. The run was stopped by the most 
peculiar decision ever given in a billiard match. 
The referee was a San Francisco newspaper 
man. When at 982 the balls froze, Ives counted 
from spot. McCleery claimed foul, saying that 
Ives had shot from outside the string. The 
claim was allowed. Ives then followed with 
740 and 136, making a total of 1,858 in three 
innings. McCleery now came in with 717 and 
513 (1,230 in two innings), but was beaten in the 
seventeenth inning by a score of 3,000 to 1,748, 
Ives running the game out with 298. Winner's 
average, 17OIV17 ; loser's, 1021^17. 



! 



125 
BEST RECORDS. 

THE FRENCH THREE-BALL GAME, AFTERWARD 
KNOWN AS ''STRAIGHT RAIL." 

Three-ball— rail unknown— New York City, 
August 19, 1863, 6x12 four-pocket table; 2% balls, 
Dudley Kavanagh (match with Isidore Gay- 
raud) scored 150 points on an average of l^%oo 
and ran 11. 

Three-ball— rail unknown— New York City, 
October 5, 1865, 53^x11. carom table, 25/ie balls, 
Pierre Carme (match with Kavanagh) averaged 
S'^^oi in 250 points and ran 19. 

Three-ball — rail unknown — New York City, 
April 23, 1869, 5)4 x 11 four-pocket table, 2% balls, 
Melvin Foster (match with Deery) averaged 
28^07 and ran 18. 

Three-ball -rail unknown— New York City, 
January 21, 1871, 53^x11 carom table, 2% balls, 
A. P. Rudolphe (match with Garnier) averaged 
5^ii and ran 72. 

Three-ball— rail unknown— Chicago, June 12, 
1873, 5x10 table, 2% balls, Ubassy (match with 
Bessunger) averaged 17% in 800 points. A week 
before he had run 117, playing under same con- 
ditions and with same man in 300-point game. 

Three-ball— rail played something on order 
of nurse at 8-inch balk-line game— tournament, 
Chicago, November 10 to 21, 1873. Garnier in 
400-point game made single average of 17%3 
and grand average of Qi^ls. Maurice Daly 
ran 153. 

Three-ball— same stage as above— New Or- 
leans, March 12, 1874, Rudolphe, on a 4i^ x 9 table, 
2% balls, averaged 30i%3 (match with Slosson). 
Slosson ran 106. 

Three-ball— rail play improved— New York, 
9 



126 

March 3, 1874, M. Dah' (match with Cyrille 
Dion) ran 212. 

Three-ball — rail play improved — New York, 
November 4 to 13, 1874, tournament won by M. 
Vignaux; Ed. Daniels ran 249 and A. Garnier 
had a grand average of lis^gy. 

Three-ball— before rail play was advanced by 
William Sexton — American match record 
15i%9, French record I911/31, both held by M. 
Vignaux, Sexton also having match average of 
15i%9. The latter pe^rformance was made 
against Slosson; Vignaux's like performance 
against Rudolphe. The French mark was set 
in game at Paris with Sexton. 

Three-ball— rail as played by Sexton and 
Slosson— Sexton, in Centennial tournament, 
Philadelphia, 1876, ran 287, and made single 
average of 60 (300-point game) and grand aver- 
age of 1413^/igQ. Slosson ran 311, New York, 
June 16, 1876, and in the same tournament, 
Rudolphe, the winner, had grand average of 
1696/136. 

Three-ball— stage as above— New York, No- 
vember 20 to 28, 1876, tournament played with 
2%6 balls, 5x10 table (debut of J. Schaefer). 
A. P. Rudolphe made single average of 21%; 
J. Dion a grand average of lOi^s, and a run 
of 195. 

Three-ball — Sexton's improved rail — New 
Orleans, January 5, 1877, Sexton ran 417. Febru- 
ary 5th he averaged 27% in 1,000 points. 

Three-ball — Schaefer's running rail — St. 
Louis, March 21 to 28, 1878, the Mussey tourna- 
ment. Jacob Schaefer, single average of 66^, 
grand average 2781/^3, high run 429. 

Three-ball— Schaefer'^ rail, improved — Chi- 
cago, May 15, 1879, Jacob Schaefer, in match for 



127 

championship with G. F. Slosson, finished 1,000 
points in three innings (5, G90, 305). 

Three-ball— Schaefer's style — Paris, France, 
April 10, 1880, Vignaux made an 80 average in 
4,000-point match with Slosson, and ran 1,531. 
Slosson ran 1,103 (one night). 

Three-ball— Schaefer's style— Boston, Decem- 
ber 21, 1887, H. J. McKenna made an average 
of 416% in 5,000 points, and ran 2,572 and 2,121. 

Three-ball — perfection of the rail by J. Schae- 
fer — San Francisco, May 29, 30, 31, 1890, the 
wizard ran 3,000 on a 4^x9 table. Match at 
discount with McCleery. 

Three-ball— as above— San Francisco, June, 
1890, F. C. Ives, then the champion shortstop, 
made 3,000 points in one night (match with 
McCleery) in seventeen innings; 434 x 9 table. 



Irving Hall, New York City, June 23 to 30,- 
1873— first tournament in America at 3-ball 
carom game for the championship of the world 
—5 X 10 table (carom), 2% balls. Games, 300 
points. Challenge cup. 



A. Garnier ... 

M. Daly 

Cyrille Dion . 

F. Ubassy 

J. Dion 

J, Deery 



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The tie was played off. (Best average of first 
three players made in seven games.) 

Garnier won first prize, C. Dion second, and 
Daly third. 



128 

Kingsbury Hall, Chicago, November 10 to 21, 
1873— tournament for money prizes,value $3,100; 
games, 400 points ; challenge-cup rules. 



A. Garnier 

C. Dion 

M. Daly 

J. Dion 

George F. Slosson 

J. Bessunger .. 

P. Snyder 

F. Ubassy 







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Garnier beat Ubassy in play-off for first prize, 
and Daly beat J. Dion in play-off for fourth 
prize. 



Boston, March 9 to 13, 1874 — three-ball game, 
5 X 10 table — prizes, $1,700 and gold badge ; 400- 
point games. 



A. Garnier 
C. Dion.... 
J. Dion .... 
F. Ubassy . 
M. Daly ... 










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n 


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^ 


H^l 


pq<l 


o<^ 


3 


1 


^% 


6 


3 


1 


7 


51/6 


2 


2 


5% 


4% 


1 


3 


5 


51/5 


1 


3 


6 


41/7 



78 
77 
45 
65 
43 



A. Garnier won first prize, $600 ; C. Dion, 
second, $400 ; J. Dion, third, $300 ; F. Ubassy, 
fourth, $250 ; M. Daly, fifth, $150. 

Tammany Hall, New York City, November 4 
to 13, 1874— national billiard tournament, Ameri- 



129 

can championship medal and $2,500 in prizes ; 
5 X 10 carom table, 2% balls. Delaney cushion. 



M. Vignaux 

A. Gamier ... 

M.Daly 

J. Dion 

A. P. Rudolphe 

F. Ubassy 

George F. Slosson . 

C. Dion 

E. Daniels 






u > 



10^ 

11 

m 



159 
93 
108 
190 
219 
241 
212 
225 
249 



Triangular spaces in corner of table to pre- 
vent crotching. 

Vignaux won first prize, $1,351; Garnier and 
Daly divided second and third prizes ($928 
each); J. Dion won fourth prize, $585; Rudolphe 
won fifth prize, $440; Ubassy and Slosson 
divided sixth and seventh prizes (^$122 each). 

Tammany Hall, New York City, November 
15 to 22, 1875— "The Garnier tournament" for 
$3,500 prize money presented by Geo. L. Loril- 
lard, the great turfman — 5x10 carom table, 
2'>^ balls. Games, 300 points. 



J. Dion ...... 

C. Dion 

William Sexton 

George F. Slosson . 

A. Garnier 

Maurice Daly 

A. P. Rudolphe .... 



0) > 



142/7 

30 
15 . 
16^ 
30 
23 



u > 



9Vl8 
1011/14 
11 

810/17 

llVio 

i2yi3 



122 
89 
136 
104 
119 
124 
67 



Grand average of tournament, 9%. 
J. Dion beat C. Dion for the play-off, winning 
$1,500 to his brother's $1,000. The third and 
fourth prizes were split by Sexton, Slosson, and 
Garnier, each of the three receiving $333. 



130 

Horticultural Hall, Philadelphia, May 15 to 
27, 1876— the Centennial tournament — $5,000 in 
prizes. Collender challenge-cup rules. 



William Sexton 

A. Garnier 

George F. Slosson. 

Maurice Daly 

Joseph Dion „_.. 

A. P. Riidolphe .... 

John Bessunger 

C. Dion 

Louis Shaw 

M. Foster 



0) > 



371^ 

213/7 

23 

50 

23 

15% 

6^ 



u > 



1413/18 

13% 
133^ 
13% 
1414 
•1211/17 
7% 

'H 



287 
176 
103 
153 
106 
175 
91 
86 
62 
79 



Sexton, first prize, $2,000; Garnier, second , 
prize, $1,200; Slosson, third prize, $800; J. Dion, i 
fourth prize, $600; Daly, fifth prize, $400. 

The three-handed tie (J. Dion, M. Daly, and 
A. P. Rudolphe) was played off in New York, 
June 5th, 6th, and 7th. 

Irving Hall, New York City, June 8 to 16, 1876 ' 
—tournament for prizes aggregating $1,500 ; 
challenge-cup rules. 



A. P. Rudolphe.... 

Wm. Sexton 

A. Garnier 

George F. Slosson 



CD > 



213/7 

20 

22^ 



0) 
u > 



169/13 
14%2 
17% 

14^ 



102 
125 
121 
152 



Rudolphe beat Sexton in play-off, averaging 
25, with high run of 127. 

Garnier beat Slosson in play-off for third 
money, but Slosson oeat all records with high 
run of 311. 



131 

Tammany Hall, New York City, November 
20 to 28, 1876— tournament for $1,500 prize money, 
300-point games; 5 x 10 table, 2%6 balls; rules 
those of 1874 tournament. 



J. Dion 

A. P. Rudolphe.... 
George F. Slosson 

A. Garnier 

Maurice Daly 

C. Dion 

Jacob Schaefer.... 






1711/17 

21% 

1612/17 

16^ 

iiyis 

13% 
12% 



u > 



ioiyi5 

10 

913/18 

812/17 



195 
134 
122 
181 
123 
136 
155 



Slosson took third prize, not taking part in 
play-off, which was won, 600 to 381, by J. Dion, 
with an average of 11%3, and high run of 125. 
Garnier won fourth prize. J. Dion won special 
prize (billiard table) for grand average. 



St. Charles Rotunda, New Orleans, January 
10 to 19, 1878— tournament for $1,000 in prizes; 
5 X 10 table, 2% balls. 



William Sexton... 
George F. Slosson 
A. P. Rudolphe.... 

Maurice Daly 

C. Dion 







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30 


2 


2 


231/^ 


2 


2 


24 


1 


3 


20 


1 


3 


1911/31 



u > 



222/ 



;/5 



297 
173 
151^ i 134 
18%o I 136 
1313/15 , 145 



Slosson beat Rudolphe in play-off, and Daly 
beat Dion in play-off. 



132 

Mussey's Billiard-room, St. Louis, March 21 to 
28, 1878— $400 in money prizes— handicap tourna- 
ment. Scratch men to play 600 points. 





o 




0) 






Jacob Schaefer Scr. 

C. Dion Scr. 

George F. Slosson.Scr. 
T. J. Gallagher.... 540 
W. C. McCreery...480 


3 
I 

1 
1 


1 
1 

2 
3 
3 


13 

17% 


2781/83 
1214 
14^ 
125/7 

12%3 


327 
194 

288 
182 
88 



Schaefer beat Dion in play-off and there 
made a new record (429) for high run. Slosson 
won third and Gallagher fourth money. Slos- 
son beat Schaefer, Schaefer beat C. Dion, 
McCreery beat Slosson, Gallagher beat Mc- 
Creery. 

Cooper Union, New York, January 20 to Feb- 
ruary 10, 1879— tournament for challenge em- 
blem of championship and money prizes of 
$2,100. J. M. Brunswick & Balke Co. 



P^ 



Jacob Schaefer... 
George F. Slosson 
William Sexton. _ 

Maurice Daly 

A. Garnier 

T. J. Gallagher... 
A. P. Rudolphe... 
J. R. Heiser 







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gs 


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<u > 


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CQ< 


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7 





855/7 


281/5 


5 


2 


81^7 


37% 


4 


3 


45 


146/7 


4 


3 


30 


18% 


3 


4 


363/7 


14% 


3 


4 


20 


1310/11 


1 


6 


15 




1 


G 


12%9 


85/12 



376 
464 
214 
370 
220 
187 
159 
158 



Sexton beat Daly in the play-off. Jacob 
Schaefer won $1,000, George F. Slosson $600, 
William Sexton $300, Maurice Daly $200. 



THE STORY OF THE CHAM. 
PIONSHIP. 

THE CHAMPION'S GAME. 

Some three weeks after the Brunswick & 
Balke tournament at Cooper Union (February, 
1879), the champion's game was introduced in 
an exhibition game at Slosson's 23d Street 
room, New York Cit3\ The triangular spaces 
of the tournament of 1874 (won by Vignaux) 
were made larger by the extension of the lines 
which, on the side rail, started from the second 
diamond, and landed at the first diamond on 
the end rail. In these 14x28 spaces, the balls 
could only rest one shot, and, on the second, as 
at balk line, must be driven out. Slosson won 
100 to 76 from Sexton. 

The first tournament was played at Tammany 
Hall, New York, November 11 to 24, 1879. The 
cash prizes aggregated $2,000, and a challenge 
emblem was offered. Sexton won first prize, 
$1,000, after a tie with Slosson. Jacob Schaefer 
was third; Maurice Daly, fourth; Garnier, fifth; 
Eugene Carter, Rudolphe, and Randolph Hei- 
ser also started. Sexton had the best single 
average, 27%i; Slosson the best grand average, 
141/^4; Garnier had high run, 147. January 10, 
1880, Schaefer became champion, defeating Sex- 
ton 600 to 585. The winner's average was 18%, 
his best run 165, as against the other's 151. 
This was the celebrated game where Schaefer, 
having 58 to go, ran the game out by reason of 
being able to effect the first coujit through the 
courtesy of his opponent, who waived the rules, 
allowing the chandelier to be moved in order 
that Schaefer might be able to execute a masse. 



134 

April 22d Sexton tried again and was beaten, 
600 to 523, in a poor game. June 19th Slosson 
beat Schaefer for the championship, 600 to 470, 
averaging 30, with high run of 236. Slosson 
again beat Schaefer October 4th, 600 to 438; 
average, 3334- Schaefer beat the record with a 
run of 312. 

December 20th to 24th found Slosson in Paris, 
France, where, in a five-nights' match, the 
Frenchman beat him, 3,000 to 2,961. The winner 
averaged 297i/4oi and ran 214. Slosson ran 273. 

At the Academy of Music, New York City, 
April 11 to 15, 1881, was played the 4,000-point 
match between Schaefer and Slosson; blocks 
of 800 points. Schaefer won, 4,000 to 2,780, aver- 
aging 3261/423; high run, 342. Slosson ran 252. 
Slosson made the greater number of points one 
night only; then he averaged 76. Slosson was 
the favorite, $1,000 to $800, before the match, 
and Richard Roche, who had $15,000 to bet on 
Schaefer, was "kept off" by an unfortunate 
practice game. 

Slosson tackled Vignaux again at the Grand 
Hotel, Paris, January 30 to Februairy 3, .1882. 
The match was for $1,000 a side, 14x28 lines on 
a 5x10 table, 2% balls ; and for the first and 
only time since Vignaux became champion of 
France did he then suffer defeat in a match at 
ball-to-ball billiards in his own country. Slos- 
son, 3,000 ; Vignaux, 2,553, was the final score. 
The winner averaged 377'^^9, while the loser's 
average was within a small fraction of 
Schaefer's American record. Both players beat 
the record for high run — Vignaux with 394, 
Slosson with 398. 

In a match with Ed. McLaughlin, February 
14, 1884, Randolph Heiser made a new Ameri- 



135 

can record, with 351. The game was 600 points, 
and McLaughlin won, with an average of 
15i%9. This is the game where Captain Anson, 
as umpire for McLaughlin, greatly assisted his 
man. 

Slosson beat Schaefer at Chicago, May 31, 
1884, by a score of 800 to 657. The lines were 
extended to 18x38. Winner's average, 284>^. 
Slosson ran 236; Schaefer 98. The last time the 

Turnin9 fhe Corner" 

a+the 
" Champion's Game " 

Schaefer 

finally turned at 14x28 Lines 

in two shots. 
In 1890 the Wizard practiced 
l-he Champions Game and 
reaching A**went throug'f) 
so running out- any 
O© reasonable Length 

-^^ of Game on End Rail. 

A 

champion's game was played was January 5, 
1 885 ( Chicago), 20 x 40 lines. Schaefer, 800 ; Slos- 
son, 589. Winner's average, 16% ; high run, 78. 
Slosson ran 97. The championship emblem be- 
came the personal property of Geo. F. Slosson. 
In the year 1891 Jacob Schaefer for a time 
practiced the champion's game as an amuse- 
ment. He soon learned to turn the balls on the 
end rail to such perfection that he could run 
them either way along tlie rail as long as he 
desired, and, seeing that first-class men could 
master the garae so as to produce the monotony 
of straight rail, abandoned it forever. 




BEST RECORDS. 

Champion's Game — 14 x 28 lines — New York, 
November 11 to 24, 1879. Tournament for cham- 
pionship and $2,000 in prizes. Sexton won, 
Slosson second, Schaefer third. The winner 
had best single average, 27%i ; Slosson best 
grand average, 14i/<74; Garnier high run, 147. 

Champion's Game — 14 x 28 — New York, Jan- 
uary 10, 1880. Schaefer beat Sexton for cham- 
pionship 600^ to 585, averaging 18p^, with high 
run of 165; Slosson ran 151. 

Champion's Game — 14x28 — New York, June 
19, 1880. Slosson beat Schaefer for the cham- 
pionship 600 to 470, averaging 30, with high run 
of 236. 

Champion's Game — 14x28— New York, Octo- 
ber 4, 1880. Slosson holding emblem from 
Schaefer, averaged 333^^. The loser beat the 
record for high run with 312. Score, 600 to 438. 

Champion's Game — 14x28 — Paris, France, 
December 20 to 24, 1880. Vignaux beat Slos- 
son 3,000 to 2,961. Winner's average, 297i/ioo; 
high run, 214; loser's, 273. 

Champion's Game — 14x28 — New York, Acad- 
emy of Music, April 11 to 15, 1881. Schaefer 
beat Slosson 4,000 to 2,780, averaging 326I/123; 
high run, 342, by Schaefer; Slosson ran 252. 

Champion's Game — 14 x 28 — Paris, France, 
January 30 to February 3, 1882. Slosson 3,000, 
Vignaux 2,553; all records beaten. Winner*s 
average 377^79; high run, by Slosson, 398; by 
Vignaux, .394. 

Champion's Game — 14 x 28 — New York City, 
February 14, 1884. Randolph Heiser beat Ameri- 
can record for high run with 351. 

Champion's Game— 18x38— Chicago, May 31, 



137 

1884. Slosson beat Schaefer 800 to 657. Winner's 
average, 2S^/j. Slosson ran 236, Schaefer 98. 

Champion's Game — 20x40 — the final match 
at this style of billiards. Schaefer 800, Slosson 
589. Winner's average, 16^ and high run 78; 
Slosson ran 97. 

Tammany Hall, New York City, November 
11 to 24, 1879— tournament at "the champion's 
game." $2,000 in prize money and a challenge 
championship medal; 5x 10 table, 2% balls. 



William Sexton ... 
George F. Slosson. 

Jacob Schaefer I 5 

Maurice Daly 

A. Garnier 

Eugene Carter 

A. P. Rudolphe i 1 

J. R. Heiser 







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6 


1 


273/11 


1311/15 


6 


1 


25 


14 


5 


2 


23 


138/13 


3 


4 


18M 


11%6 


3 


4 


16^ 


101/7 


2 


5 


11 


9%5 


1 


6 


15% 


812/17 


. 


7 




7%7 



112 
107 
122 
123 
147 
103 
81 
113 



Sexton beat Slosson for play-off 500 to 478. 
Daly beat Garnier for play-off 500 to 496. Wil- 
liam Sexton won $1,000, George F. Slosson $500, 
Jacob Schaefer $250, Maurice Daly $150, A. 
Garnier $100. 



THE STORY OF THE CHAM- 
PIONSHIP. 
CUSHION CAROMS. 
The first match in America wherein partici- 
pated an expert of prominence was that be- 
tween Jacob Schaefer and Jno. Flack of Boston, 
Mass. It was played in the last-named city Feb- 
ruary 21, 1878. The wizard, after the Tammany 



138 

Hall tournament of November, 1876, had been 
taken under the wing of David Tennj^ Pulsifer 
(since renowned on the turf as the owner of 
Salvator's only rival, the swayback Tenny), 
who in his youth was a billiardist of note. In 
company with Pulsifer, Schaefer starred the 
New England towns, and rapidly solidified the 
principles of his game. Schaefer discounted 
Flack 300. points, and when his man had one 
point to go, the wizard finished the game with a 
run of 35, giving to the billiard world the first 
illustration of that wonderful reserve power 
which since has often stood him so much in 
hand. In February, 1881, at Cooper Union, New 
York City, Sexton and Schaefer met, the latter 
winning 400 to 396, with an average of 34^%i, as 
against the 214 of the Flack game. Schaefer 
ran 26; Sexton 21. February 26th the men met 
again, and this time Sexton won by a score of 
400 to 363, averaging 3%, with a high run of 27. 
The conditions of both matches were new, the 
winner taking all and the loser paying expenses, 
Richard Roche, a wealthy sporting man, being 
behind Schaefer, wishing to "make a gamble " 
of everything. At Paris, France, June 26th, 
Vignaux and Garnier beat Plot and Slosson a 
four-handed match. Vignaux made a high 
run of 25. 

The Roche tournament ($2,500 in prizes given 
by Richard Roche) was played at Tammany 
Hall, New York, November 14 to 19, 1881. 
Joseph Dion won first prize ; Jacob Schaefer, 
second ; G. F. Slosson, third ; Alonzo Morris, 
fourth, and Tom Wallace, fifth. M. Daly, T. J. 
Gallagher, Eugene Carter, Wm. Sexton, and R. 
Heiser also started. Jos. Dion beat all records 
with a run of 44, while his grand average of 



139 

32%i was the best. Schaefer made the best 
single average, 634- 

This was probably the biggest betting tour- 
nament ever held. There were several books 
made, and Schaefer at evens carried a great 



Schaefer's 

Corner Nurse*^ 
a+ Cushion Carroms- 
on a 
Car rom Table 



>o o 



p~# 

) Hatleys 

, **Kiss Nurse" 

\ af CushionCarroms. 



qO ^ Carters 
• "Rub Nurse*' 

at Cushion Carroms. 



deal of his backer's money. Dion made "a 
sweep " for the books, as he stood unbacked at 
15 to 1. 

In the game that Heiser beat Slo.sson, Mc- 
Cloud, the bookmaker, when Slosson had 55 to 
go to the other's 105, bet $500 to $20 against 
Heiser. Schaefer, for his final game with Dion, 



140 

was always $100 to $40, and with six to go, the 
score was tied. Dion then ran out. Slosson 
had to win five straight games to finish third, 
and did it. Maurice Daly won his first four 
games and then lost the other five. In fact; 
cushion caroms was seen to be the most uncer- 
tain of games, and then and there became the 
medium of higher gambling than ever before 
or since has been known upon a billiard table. 
Al Smith, Chas. Davis, Davy Johnson, and Tom 
Childs could any day be seen playing 50 points 
up for from $100 to $1,000 a side. The third match 
(Schaefer-Sexton) came on December 29th. 
Tammany Hall was packed as never before. 
Sexton received larger gate money than any 
billiardist before or since, and in proportion to 
the general betting was the wager of $11,800 of 
Richard Roche on his man Schaefer. Sexton, 
when 60 points behind, made the 1,000-to-l 
chance run of 77, and eventually won the game 
by 24 points. Schaefer's best run was 23. The 
winner's average was 32%i. Schaefer was over- 
trained. A few weeks before the match he had 
shown an average of 8 in practice, and runs of 
50 to 75 frequently. In the spring of 1882 (April) 
Sexton again beat Schaefer 600 to 538, with an 
average of 4%7 and high run of 32. The last 
two matches were each for $2,500 a side, while 
of the others, the one Schaefer won was for 
$500 a side, the second played being for $1,000 
a side. 

June 1st, in a match with Eugene Kimball, 
Daly won with an average of 44^%i5. Kimball 
made high run of 30. It was the only match this 
billiardist ever lost, and upon his ability to win 
he had wagered $2,800. 

December 1st, Sexton beat Daly 500 to 456, 



141 

averaging 3^^. January 6, 1883, the men again 
met, and Daly won 500 to 467, making the same 
average as in the Kimball match. Daly ran 44. 

New York, May 14 to 25, 1883, was played the 
tournament on the 4i^x9 table, in the rules 
governing which appears the right to make a 
direct carom, then send cue-ball to cushion, 
and in the event of its again touching either 
ball, record a count. 

This absolutely senseless rule has caused 
more controversy than all the others in the 
calendar. Maurice Daly won, and returned 
the championship emblem to the donor, H. 
W. Collender. Thos. Wallace, in playing off 
the tie for second money, ran 76, which is 
still (1898) the record. Vignaux was fourth, 
Jos. Dion fifth. Sexton and Eugene Carter 
also started. Daly had a grand average of 
6%, which was about the same as that of 
Schaefer, while Dion and Vignaux both beat 6. 
Schaefer's single average of 10 is still the best 
on record. 

Chicago, October 24, 1883, Slosson beat Sexton 
by a score of 500 to 483, averaging 37%4i. 

Slosson returned the emblem to H. W. Col- 
lender, and put himself on record as not caring 
for cushion caroms. 

November 9th was played in New York the 
Reeves- Johnson match, upon which more money 
was won and lost than changed hands on the 
Phelan-Seereiter match. Six hundred persons 
were present by invitation, and all were '^ bet- 
tors from the old house." 

February 20, 1884, Eugene Carter averaged 
4% in a match at St. Louis with T. J. Gallagher. 

May 6, 1885, at Irving Hall, Sexton beat Slos- 
son 500 to 486, breaking all records as to match 
10 



142 

average with 44'§ii3. Slosson's backer bet Sex- 
ton's $1,500 to $1,050 in the main stake. Sexton 
went at top speed the last few innings, and ran 
30 in the last 100. It is called the most exciting 
match ever played. 

The bookmakers' handicap tournament of 
February 8, 1886, held in New York City, was 
instrumental in keeping cushion caroms before 
the public. Chas. Davis won, David Johnson 
second (both were scratch men). February 15th, 
Jno. T. Reeves beat David Gideon (since the 
owner of three Futurity winners) 150 to 143. 

In 1886 Slosson and Schaefer were matched to 
play two games of 500 points each for $2,000 a 
side each game — one game to be played in St. 
Louis, the other in Chicago. A rule incorpora- 
ted in the articles "a ball frozen on the cush- 
ion shall be considered in play, providing such 
cushion is hit first," seemed to favor Schaefer, 
but a " stand off " resulted, Slosson winning at 
St, Louis, Schaefer at Chicago. Schaefer won 
in 111 innings, beating the record for match 
average. He won by 70 points, whereas Slos- 
son had beaten him 31 at St. Louis. Mahony & 
Co. of New York, bookmakers, backed Slosson, 
but weakening at St. Louis only won $1,000 "on 
the outside ; " then braced up, came to Chicago, 
and lost $8,000. After the game began, Roche 
was about to bet $5,000 to $4,500, when Mahony 
said, "wait until Jake sits down," and as the 
wizard continued his run up to 48 the New 
Yorker put his money back into his pocket. 

The last time the men came together in 
■ match was April 4, 1887 (Chicago), for $500 a 
side. Slosson won in 106 innings, which is still 
the best match record. The score stood : Slos- 
son, 500 ; Schaefer, 488. Schaefer at 370 was 120 



I 



143 

in the lead, and even Slosson's backer was 
offering $1,000 to $80 that Schaefer would win. 

November 5th to 22d was played at Chicago a 
handicap tournament, wherein engaged at 
scratch (200) were Schaefer and Slosson. Here 
for the first time F. C. Ives appeared in public. 
Carter (170) won first money, Schaefer second, 
Moulds (110) third, while Ives (110) tied two 
others for fourth money— an inconsequential 
amount, for which the players shook dice. G. 
F. Slosson won three and lost seven games, be- 
ing in the poorest fix of his life. Although the 
entrance fee was $25, Carter received only $210 
as first money. Schaefer made a single aver- 
age of 10 (still the record). John F. Donovan 
(present owner of the Lindell Hotel, St. Louis) 
was a contestant, and, winning only two games, 
losing heavily on himself, so successfully picked 
the other winners that he finished with "money, 
marbles, and chalk." 

August 6 to 8, 1888, Slosson, Daly, and Sexton 
engaged in a summer tournament at Saratoga 
Springs, N. Y., but nothing was shown above 
mediocrity. 

Boston, April 13 to 17, 1896— Tournament, 5 x 10 
table, 300-point games. Frank C. Ives won ; 
Jacob Schaefer, second ; M. Daly, third ; Albert 
Garnier, last. Ives ran 85, beating Sexton's 77, 
which had stood for over fourteen years. 

BEST RECORDS. 

Cushion Caroms- Boston, February 21, 1878, 
Jacob Schaefer ran the game out with 35, leav- 
ing his opponent, John Flack, in the 1 hole. 
The game v/as 300 points (discount), and Schae- 
fer averaged 2^^. 

Cushion Caroms— New York, February 15, 



144 

1881, Schaefer beat Sexton, 400 to 396, averag 
ing 347/51- 

Cushion Caroms— New York, February 26, 
1881, Sexton beat Schaefer, 400 to 363, averaging 

m- 

Cushion Caroms -New York, November 14 tq 
19, 1881, the Roche tournament ($2,500 in prizes 
given by R. Roche), Joseph Dion won, Schaefe 
second, Slosson third. The winner beat al 
records with high run of 45, and his grand aver 
age, 3%, was the best. Schaefer had best single 
average, (334- 

Cushion Caroms — New York, December 29 

1881, Sexton 600, Schaefer 576; winner's average 
32%i; high run, 77. Upon this game R, Roch^ 
lost $11,800 on Schaefer, who was a 4-to-5 fa 
vorite. Sexton got more gate money, $2,40( 
(winner took all and loser paid expenses), thai 
any other billiardist for a one-night match. 

Cushion Caroms— New York, April 27, 1882 
Sexton beat Schaefer, 600 to 538, on a 4%7 aver 
age. Roche lost $8,000. 

Cushion Caroms— New York, June 1, 1882 
Maurice Daly beat Eugene Kimball, 500 to 347 
averaging 44%i5. Best run, 30, made by Kim- 
ball. 

Cushion Caroms— New York, December 1, 

1882, Sexton beat Daly, 500 to 456, averaging 3^7. 
Cushion Caroms— New York, January 6, 1883, 

Daly beat Sexton, 500 to 467, averaging i'^^/w^ 
(tying his own record) and duplicating his high 
run of 44, made in Roche tournament. 

Cushion Caroms — New York, May 14 to 25, 

1883, tournament on 4J^ x 9 table given by H. W. 
Collender for championship emblem and $3,000. 
Maurice Daly won, Thomas Wallace second, 



145 

Jacob Schaefer third, M. Vignaux fourth, J. 
Dion fifth. Sexton, as in the Roche tourna- 
ment, was "nowhere." T. Wallace, in playing- 
off tie with J. Schaefer, ran 76 (best on record, 
4^ X 9). J. Schaefer made single average of 10 
(best on record). Best run in tournament 
proper, 65, by Sexton. Daly, Schaefer, Dion, 
and Vignaux all went over a 6 grand average. 
Championship emblem returned by Daly to H. 
W. Collender. 

Cushion Caroms — Chicago, October 24,1883. 
, Slosson beat Sexton .500 to 483, averaging 37%4i. 

Cushion Caroms — New York, November 9, 

1883, Reeves and Johnson (bookmakers) played 
250-point match for big money. Reeves was 
beaten 17 points on a 2i%i7 average. High run, 

-Johnson 13, Reeves 12. Game played on 4^/^x9 
table. 

Cushion Caroms — St. Louis, February 20, 

1884, Eugene Carter beat T. J. Gallagher, 400 to 
327: making an average of 4%; 5x10 table. 

Cushion Caroms— New York City, May 6, 

J 1885, Sexton beat Slosson, 500 to 486, breaking 
the record for match average with 4^^/iis- Slos- 
son's backer bet $1,500 to $1,050 in the main 

■ stake. 

Cushion Caroms — St. Louis, November 27, 
1886, Slosson beat Schaefer, 500 to 169, averaging 

' 48/^23- Each man had high run of 26. 

Cushion Caroms— Chicago, December 17, 1886, 
Schaefer beat Slosson, 500 to 430, averaging 
45%ii (best on record), with high run of 48. 
This match, as the one previous (St. LouivS), was 
for $2,000 a side. Mahony & Co. (Harry How- 
ward) of New York, backing Slosson, Richard 

1 Roche backing Schaefer. Schaefer was a 7-to-lO 



146 

shot at St. Louis and ruled a slight favorite at 
Chicago. 

Cushion Caroms— Chicago, April 4, 1887, Slos- 
son beat Schaefer, 500 to 488, averaging 47%og 
(best on record). Schaefer ran 48, Slosson 25. 
At one time $1,000 to $80 was offered on 
Schaefer, he being 120 points in the lead. 

Cushion Caroms— Chicago, November 5 to 22, 
1887 — handicap — Schaefer and Slosson, scratch 
(200), Eugene Carter (170), T. J. Gallagher and 
W. H. Catton (160), F. C. Ives, John Moulds, 
John Matthews, John Donovan, John Thatcher 
(110), Wm. Hatley (115). Carter won first money, 
Schaefer second. Moulds third. Slosson won 
only three games, but made his highest run of 
record, 40. Carter had a grand average of 
4i%7, Schaefer's being 5i%i (best on record). 
Schaefer made single average of 10 (best on 
record). He also made his highest run in public, 
54. Ives (his first appearance in public) was the 
only player to beat Carter, while Schaefer lost 
to Carter and Thatcher. 

Cushion Caroms — Saratoga Springs, August 
6 to 8, 1888, Slosson, Daly, and Sexton engaged 
in a summer tournament (finishing as named), 
but the play was of poor quality. 

Cushion Caroms— Boston, April 13 to 17, 1896— 
tournament, 5 x 10 table, 300-point games. Ives 
won three games and lost none, making grand 
average of 53^; single average of 5^io a-^d rec- 
ord-breaking run of 85. Schaefer was second, 
Daly third, Gamier last. 

Tammany Hall, New York, November 14 to 
19, 1881, and Cooper Union, November 2i to 26, 
1881— first cushion-carom tournament — $2,000 
added by Richard Roche, the backer of Jacob 



Schaefer. 
2% balls. 



Games, 200 points up; 5 x 10 table, 



Joseph Dion 

Jacob Schaefer 

George F. Slosson. 

Alonzo Morris 

Thomas Wallace . . 

Maurice Daly 

T. J. Gallagher... 

Eugene Carter 

William Sexton... 
John R. Heiser 







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45 
35 
32 

37 
26 
44 
29 

27 

32 

J8 

Slosson won the play-off of three-handed tie, 
and Morris beat Wallace. 

Joseph Dion won $1,000; Jacob Schaefer $700; 
George F. Slosson $500'. Alonzo Morris $300. 

Tammany Hall, New York City, May 14 to 25, 
1883— the Collender tournament (4% x 9 table) for 
the championship at cushion caroms; direct 
carom no bar, provided either object ball is 
again hit by cue-ball; game, 500 points. 



Maurice Daly 

Thomas Wallace. 
Jacob Schaefer... 

M. Vignaux 

Joseph Dion 

William Sexton.. 
E. X:arter 



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49 
43 
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36 



Wallace beat Schaefer for play-off, 500 to 394, 
averaging 7^4 with high run of 76 (best on record 
4}/^ X 9 table). Vignaux beat J. Dion for play-off. 
Maurice Daly won $1,200, T. Wallace $800, Jacob 
Schaefer $500, M. Vignaux $300, J. Dion $200. 



148 

Madison St. Theatre, Chicago, November 5 to 
22, 1887 — handicap tournament at cushion car- 
oms— 5x10 table, 2% balls. Scratch men to 
play 200 points; $25 entrance; $250 added by 
B.-B.-C. Co. 









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Eugene Carter.- 170 


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Jacob Schaefer Scr. 


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John F. Moulds. ...110 
Frank C. Ives. 110 


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John Matthews 110 


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John A. Thatcher.. 110 
T. J. Gallagher.... 160 


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5 


5 


39/10 


30 


George F. Slosson.Scr. 


3 


7 


515/17 


4 


40 


John F. Donovan.. 110 
William Hatley....ll5 


2 


8 


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21 


2 


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2% 


2 


20 


William H. Catton.160 


1 


9 


4 


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18 



Eugene Carter won $210, Jacob Schaefer $165, 
John Moulds $75. Ives, Matthews, and Thatcher 
took down their entrance money and shook 
dice for the odd $30. 



Boston, April 13 to 17, 1896 — tournament at 
cushion caroms given by Ives and Daly. 







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Maurice Daly 





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A. Garnier... 








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3 


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382/100 


34 



THE STORY OF THE CHAM- 
PIONSHIP. 
THE BALK-LINE GAME. 

At Central Music Hall, March 26 to April 6, 
1883, was played the first tournament, the lines 
being drawn eight inches from the cushion. 
Jacob Schaefer won first prize ($1,200) and the 
championship emblem ; Maurice Vignaux was 
second ; Maurice Daly, third ; Wm. Sexton, 
fourth. Alonzo Morris, J. Dion, and Thos. Wal- 
lace were the other starters ; games, 600 points. 
Schaefer made best grand average (23%i), best 
single average (40), and ran 220. Vignaux ran 
246, and had a single average of SlU/ig, and 
grand average of 22ii/i59. The first two men 
showed speed enough to discount any others. 
The first prize hinged on the final game, that 
between Vignaux and Schaefer, and the assem- 
blage was the largest known at a billiard match 
in Chicago. When Vignaux lacked 92 of his 
total, the wizard ran the game out with 108, 
amid the wildest excitement. 

June 12th, New York City, Vignaux beat 
Schaefer, 800 to 644, averaging 22%. 

November 26th to 30th, at Paris, France, five 
nights' play, Vignaux, 3,000; Schaefer, 2,859. 
Average, 28ii/i3. Vignaux ran 165, Schaefer 
164. 

December 15th to 19th, at Lj^ons, France, Gar- 
nier beat Daly on a 4i^ x 9 table, 3,000 to 2,970, 
averaging 27%i, with a run of 238 and another 
of 200. Daly ran 309. 

December 10th to 14th, Paris, France — Vig- 
naux beat Rudolphe, 3,000 to 1,415. 

January 14 to 18, 1884, Paris, France — Vignaux 
beat Schaefer 3,000 to 2,869. The average of the 



150 

winner was 4452/^^, that of the loser, 425%7. 
Vignaux ran 329; winner's average and run best 
on record. 

May 12, 1884, Chicago — Jacob Schaefer beat 
Geo. F. Slosson for the championship, 800 to 384, 
averaging 38%i ; high run, 211 ; Slosson ran 200. 

January 26, 1885, Chicago — Schaefer beat 
Slosson at 12-inch balk line, 800 to 719, averaging 
14^iii, with high run of 109. .Slosson ran 98. 

April 20 to 29, 1885, Irving Hall, New York — 
First tournament at 14-inch balk line. Geo. F. 
Slosson won ; Schaefer, second ; Wm. Sexton, 
third ; Maurice Daly, fourth ; Joseph Dion, fifth. 
Although $250 entrance was charged, all players^ 
got a percentage of gate receipts, so that Dion 
cleared $214, while Slosson netted $1,214. Slos- 
son had best run, 148 ; best single average, 228^^1 
best grand average, 18%i. Schaefer's grand 
average, 15i/i2 ; high run, 97. 

November 16 to 21, 1885, Chicago — The cele- 
brated triangular tournament (Vignaux, Schae^ 
fer, Slosson), 14-inch balk lines ; games 600 up ] 
each player to meet the others twice. Cash 
prizes of $2,950. 

This was probably the most profitable of 
tournaments for the players engaged, a tie all 
around resulting. The contestants elected to 
divide the prize money equally, but the billiard 
company would not sanction this. So all except 
the $1,000 added by the B.-B.-C. Co. was split 
up, and the men started over (three games), and 
again tied. Finally, on the second play-off, 
Schaefer beat the others, and Vignaux beat 
Slosson. It was understood that Vignaux re- 
ceived $3,750 (including a guarantee of $2,000), 
while Slosson, after paying his $500 to the gen- 
eral fund as a roomkeeper, quit $750 to the 



151 

good. The house was packed the first six 
nights, and never has been seen an assemblage 
of such high class at a billiard tournament. 
The famed Judge Gary made the opening 
address. 

Wm. Riley, J. A. Murphy, and D. T. Pulsifer 
made a tremendously big book, and many $1,000 
bets were registered. After Slosson had won 
his first two games, Geo. Wheelock (now one of 
the wealthiest American bookmakers) bet $200 
to $600 that the tournament would result in a 
tie all around. 

Vignaux, November 5th, made 600 in eight 
innings, averaging 75, with a high run of 195. 
Slosson ran 77, and was first past the 100 mark. 
On this game Vignaux, through his interpreters, 
bet $400 on himself at even money with the 
bookmaking concern of White & Anson. Slos- 
son, after winning his first two games, was a 
3-to-5 shot. 

When Vignaux and Schaefer met for the first 
game the wizard went to the post a 2-to-5 shot. 
He was nearly 200 ahead when an accident 
happened to his clothing, and, abashed, he lost 
his stroke and was beaten. In his second game 
with Vignaux Schaefer had a total of 8 in the 
first eight innings, Vignaux standing at 263. 

Then Schaefer went on and won. An Eastern 
professional of high class called this tourna- 
ment a hippodrome, simply because he was not 
thought of class enough to engage. He has 
been sorry ever since. Such sins billiardists 
easily forgive, and the offending expert was 
long since reinstated. For the tournament 
proper, Vignaux's grand average was 25%i ; 
Schaefer's, I928/-5 ; Slosson's, 188%7. The first 
play-off Vignaux averaged (grand) 18i%5 ; 



152 

Schaefer, 2I8/35 ; Slosson, 16i%9. The second 
play-off Schaefer averaged (grand) 2Q% ; Vig- 
naux, 1421/^7 ; Slosson, 1572/^qq. High runs (made 
in twelve games): Vignaux, 195, 113, 106, 166, 174, 
152 ; Slosson, 159, 108 ; Schaefer, 187, 152, 158, 114, 
105, 122. The play-off games were 800 points. 
Schaefer's best single average was 28y7, made 
in the final game. Slosson's best winning single 
average was 19ii;'3i, made inthe opening game. 

New York, June 26 to 30, 1886 - Schaefer beat 
Vignaux (five nights, blocks of 600, stake $5,000), 
14-inch lines, 3,000 to 2,838. Winner's grand 
average, 20i4^%43 ; high run, 180. Loser's grand 
average, 19121/^4^3 ; high run, 143. Schaefer was 
365 ahead at the end of 1,200 points, but the 
third night the Frenchman made 918 to his 
600, catching up within 47 points. The fourth 
night Vignaux made 647 to 537, and for the final 
night Schaefer had 663 to go to the other's 600. 
Schaefer, as usual, played best at the finish, 
and his single average for the last night was 
253^. The fourth night Vignaux had a single 
average (647 points) of 26i%4. 

March 9 to 13, 1886, New York, Jacob Schaefer 
beat Maurice Vignaux, 3,000 to 1,855 (second 
match of five nights, blocks of 600, for $2,000 
stake), beating the record with a grand average 
of 2525/29, and high run of 230. On the third 
night he averaged 31%. Vignaux's grand aver- 
age was 15ii%i6, high run 149. The late Jno. 
Dowling of Chicago was Vignaux's backer in 
both the 3,000-point matches. 

April 12, 1887, Chicago, Schaefer beat Slosson 
800 to 639, averaging 17"%, with high run of 126. 
Slosson ran 135. 

Schaefer's Room, St. Louis, Mo., January 3 to 
14, 1888, handicap (twin to that of Chicago, 



153 

November, 1887). Games, 400. Slosson and 
Schaefer, scratch; Eugene Carter, 270; W. H. 
Catton and F. Maggioli, 200 ; Jno. Moulds, 
Frank Day, Chas. Schaefer, Jno. Thatcher, 165; 
Jno, Donovan, 150. 

Schaefer won. Slosson and Moulds tied for 
second prize, and divided second and third 
money. Catton was fourth. Schaefer made a 
single average of 50, and a high run of 200. His 
grand average was 234^37. Slosson's grand 
average was 123%45, best run 138. 

Chicago, November 26th to December 8th, 
tournament for championship of shortstops. 
Won by Eugene Carter, best single average 
15% 3 (games 200 up), best run 87, grand average 
9^. T. J. Gallagher and W. H. Catton divided 
•second and third money. Moulds and Mag- 
gioli divided fourth and fifth money. Henry 
Rhines, Wm. Hatley, and Frank C. Ives also 
vStarted. It was the first public attempt of the 
latter at balk-line billiards. * His best single 
average was 5^<7, best run 37. In three and one- 
half years from this time, Ives had beaten 
Schaefer for the championship and, in defend- 
ing the cup from Slosson, beat all match rec- 
ords, with an average of 26 in 800. 

December, 1889, Carter, being in Paris, for- 
feited the shortstop emblem to Ives, who in 
turn forfeited to Maggioli, and finally Ives got 
it back by forfeit. 

New York, February 20 to March 1, 1890, hand- 
icap tournament, $250 entrance, $2,500 added, 
Slosson and Schaefer to play 14-inch, the others 
8-inch balk line. Games, 500 points. Slosson 
won first prize, $1,600; Schaefer second, $1,200; 
Daly, Ives, and Catton tied for third prize, and 
each received $400. Heiser did not win a game. 



154 

Slosson made a single average of 26%9 (his best 
performance), grand average of 173%oo? high 
run 136. Schaefer tied Slosson's single average, 
beat his grand average with 174%3, and his 
high run v^^ith 168, but to him lost the deciding 
game, 313 to 500, and the average of the winner 
was only 16%i. 

Slosson played his best game against Ives, 
averaging 26%9, and scored high run of 136 
yet beat the coming champion only 52 points. 

April 5 to 12, 1890— Chicago tournament— con 
ditions same as in New York (February), excep 
handicap of points instead of lines; all to pla^ 
14-inch. Schaefer and Slosson, scratch (500) 
Ives (275), Catton and Heiser (250), Daly (.300). 

Jacob Schaefer won first prize, $1,600; Ive! 
second, $1,200; Slosson third; Catton fourth 
Daly did not win a game. Schaefer's bes' 
single average, 38%3; grand average, 25; higl 
run, 200. Slosson's grand average was 20^1i 
high run, 178. Ives' grand average was 1321^-^ 
best run, 97; in seventeen months he had im 
proved a discount. | 

April 16th, at Chicago, Ives was beaten (match 
$250 a side) by F. Maggioli; score, 500 to 440; win- 
ner's average, 15%3; high run, 121. Ives ran 73. 
Schaefer and Ives had, the da}" of the match, re- 
ceived the $2,800 due as prize money from the 
toiirnament just ended, and they offered to bet 
it all at 3 to 1 against Maggioli. Only one ten- 
dollar note was placed at this figure. Maggioli 
had never shown better than an 8 average, while 
Ives had gone to 13 in first-class company. The 
shortstop record in a match was an average 
of 9%, made by Gallagher against Carter some 
years before, and no shortstop had run 100 ex- 
cept Carter (101 in St. Louis handicap of 1887). 



155 

Maggioli made his 121 run, nursing the end line 
perfectly for the greater number of points, after 
counting the first shot from a hard leave by 
means of a long, left-handed, one-cushion draw. 
Later in the game, when 77 behind, he ran 80, 
then following with 52, finished with plenty left. 
Alderman Whalen (killed soon afterward) was 
Maggioli's backer and handed him the entire 
stakes and gate money. 

In November Maggioli was beaten at Denver, 
1,500 to 1,402, by E. Carter, and dropped below 
a 7 average. 

December 1, 1890, New York — Institution of 
the last world's championship at 14-inch balk 
line. Challenge cup given by B.-B.-C. Co.; $1,000 
added, and net gate receipts. Schaefer beat 
Slosson, 800 to 609, averaging 192i^i ; best run, 
128. Slosson ran 60. 

The emblem for shortstop championship hav- 
ing become, by limitation, the personal prop- 
erty of Frank C. Ives, the billiard company 
offered a second emblem and money prizes for 
the tournament held at Chicago, February 16 to 
27, 1891. Games, 400 points. Eugene Carter 
won, Ives second, Catton third, McLaughlin, 
Maggioli, and Hatley tied for fourth. Jos. W. 
Capron and Louis Shaw also started. In the 
deciding game Carter beat Ives, and averaged 
30i%3, his opponent getting a total of 195. 
Carter's grand average was 15%, that of Ives 
19^3. Ives beat Maggioli, averaging 44%. For 
high run Ives and Carter tied at 116. 

Chicago, April 29, 1891 — Ives beat Carter for 
the shortstop championship, 500 to 478, averaging 
92%3, with high run of 70. Carter ran 72. Ives 
made only 54 points the first twenty-six innings, 
and was pronounced a counterfeit. 



11- 

I 



156 

Before the Ives-Carter game the sanguine 
Eugene had "jollied " his admirers into chal- 
lenging Schaefer for the challenge cup. 

May 6th, Chicago, 1891— The match was d( 
cided. The bad showing of Carter against 
Ives made Schaefer a 1-to-lO shot. Schaefer 
won, 800 to 481, averaging 21i/i9 ; best run, 104. 
Carter ran 111. 

New York, October 26, 1891— G. F. Slosson 
beat J. Schaefer (match not for championship) 
800 to 392, averaging 22%, with high run of 173 
(his best performance). 



BEST RECORDS. 
THE BALK-LINE GAME. 

8-inch — Chicago, March 26 to April 6, 1883. 
Tournament for the championship of the world. 
Jacob Schaefer first, Maurice Vignaux second. 
Best single average 40, and best grand average 
23%i ; high run, 246, by Vignaux. The other 
starters were a discount under above pair. 

8-inch — Paris, France, November 26 to 30, 
1883. Vignaux 3,000, Schaefer 2,859. Average, 
28II/I3. Vignaux ran 165, Schaefer 164. 

8-inch— Lyons, France, December 15 to 19, 1883, 
41^ X 9 table. Gamier 3,000, Daly 2,970. Aver- 
age, 273/11. Garnier ran 200 and 238, Daly 309. 

8-inch — Paris, France, January 14 to 18, 1884. 
Vignaux 3,000, Schaefer 2,869. Average by 
winner, 445%7; loser, 42^^/qj. Vignaux ran 329. 

8-inch — Chicago, May 12, 1884, match for cham- 
pionship. Schaefer 800, Slosson 384. Average, 
38%i. The winner ran 211, the loser 200. 

12-inch— Chicago, January 26, 1885. Schaefer 



157 

800, Slosson 719. Average, Ufnx- High run, by 
winner, 109; by loser, 98. 

14-inch — New York, April 20 to 29, 1885. Tour- 
nament at Irving Hall. Geo. F. Slosson won, 
with best single average 22%i, best grand aver- 
age 182^1, and highest run 148. Schaefer was 
second with grand average of l^Yio-, high run 
97. As in the 8-inch tournament at Chicago, 
the players (bar the first two) were outclassed. 

14-inch — Chicago, November 16 to 26, 1885. 
The triangular tournament (Vignaux, Schaefer, 
Slosson). Twelve games played; won by 
Schaefer, Vignaux second, Slosson third. 
Vignaux made single average of 75 in 600 
(best on record until anchor nurse was dis- 
covered). Highest run, 195, made by Vignaux; 
the latter, fn tournament proper, had (four 
games of 600 each) the best grand average, 25% i- 
Schaefer, in first play-off (two games, 800 each), 
had best grand average, 21%5, and in second 
play-off (two games, 800 each), best grand aver- 
age, 26^. Schaefer 's highest run, 187; Slos- 
son's, 159. 

14-inch— New York, January 26 to 30, 1886 (five 
nights' match). Schaefer 3,000, Vignaux 2,838; 
143 innings; The winner ran 180, the loser 143. 

14-inch — New York, March 9 to 13, 1886 (five 
Qights' match). Schaefer 3,000, Vignaux 1,855. 
Winner's average, 252%9 ; high run, 230 ; beat 
all records before anchor nurse. 

14-inch — Chicago, April 12, 1887. Schaefer 800, 
Slosson 639. Average by winner, 17%. 

14-inch — St. Louis, January 3 to 14, 1888. 
Handicap tournament. Schaefer and Slosson 
scratch), 400 points. Schaefer won. Slosson 
md Jno. Moulds (165) tied for second and third 
3rizes, and divided the money. W. H. Catton 
11 



158 

(200) won fourth prize. Schaefer beat all records 
with average of 50. 

Handicap of lines— New York, February 20 
to March 1, 1890. Slosson axid Schaefer played 
14-inch balk line ; Ives, Daly, Heiser, and Catton 
8-inch. G. F. Slosson won, J. Schaefer second, 
Ives, Daly, and Catton tying for third money. 
Schaefer had highest grand average, 174^%3, and 
highest run, 168. 

14-inch balk line — Chicago, April 5 to 12, 1890. 
Handicap tournament. Schaefer and Slosson, 
scratch, at 500, Daly 300, Ives 275, Catton and 
Heiser 250. Schaefer won, Ives second, Slosson 
third, Catton fourth, and Daly last. Winner's 
grand average, 25 ; single average, 38^/^ 3; high 
run, 200. 

14-inch — Chickering Hall, New York, Decem- 
ber 1, 1890. FortheB.-B.-C. Co.'s world's cham- 
pionship silver challenge cup (the last emblem 
of championship given at 14-inch balk line), $500 
a side and the net gate receipts. Jacob Schaefer 
beat G. F. Slosson 800 to 609, averaging 192i/4i, 
with high run of 128. Slosson ran 60. 

14-inch — Chicago, May 6, 1891. J. Schaefer 
beat Euge-ne Carter for the championship 800 to 
481, averaging 21i/i9. 

14-inch — New York City, October 26, 1891. G. 
F. Slosson beat J. Schaefer (match) 800 to 392 in 
36 innings, with high run of 173. Schaefer ran 
48. 



159 

Central Music Hall, Chicago, March 26 to 
April 6, 1883 — 8-inch balk line — tournament 
for championship, $3,000 and emblem ; 5 x 10 
table, 2% balls. Games, 600 up. 



Jacob Schaefer._ 
Maurice Vignaux 

Maurice Daly 

William Sexton.. 
Alonzo Morris ... 

Joseph Dion 

Thomas Wallace. 







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40 


237/31 


5 


1 


3111/19 


22 


4 


2 


171/7 


131^ 


3 


3 


167/12 


103^ 


2 


4 


15 


11 


1 


5 


175/7 


101/^ 





6 




711/14 



220 
246 
90 
170 
101 
101 
134 



J. Schaeter won $1,200, M. Vignaux $800, M. 
Daly $500, W. Sexton $300, A. Morris $200. 



Irving Hall, New York City, April 20 to 29, 
1885— 14-inch balk line— tournament; $250 en- 
trance, $2,250 added by B.-B.-C. Co.; net door 
receipts given to the players. 5x10 table, 2% 
balls. 



George F. Slosson 

Jacob Schaefer 

William Sexton... 

Maurice Daly 

Joseph Dion. 







a» 


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228/11 


182/11 


3 


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18^ 


15 


2 


2 


10 


8 


1 


4 


9 


8 





4 




7 



148 
97 
53 
51 
52 



G. F. Slosson won $1,465, J. Schaefer $1,065, 
W. Sexton $865, M. Daly $715, J. Dion $465. 



160 

Central Music Hall, Chicago, November 16 
to 21, 1885 — 14-inch balk line — the triangular 
tournament. Bach contestant to meet the 
others twice in 600-point games; $2,950 added to 
net gate receipts. 





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Jacob Schaefer., . 






1 



1 


2 


2 


23 


19^ 


152 


Maurice Vignaux 


1 







1 


2 


2 


75 


257/11 


195 


George F. Slosson 


1 




1 






2 


2 


191/^ 


I88/9 


89 



The players divided all moneys equally except 
the B.-B.-C. Co.'s $1,000, which they were 
forced to play for. 



First play-off, 800 points 


,, Dec. 21st to 23d: 






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Jacob Schaefer... 
Maurice Vignaux 
George F. Slosson 


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1 
1 
1 


1 
1 
1 


231^ 
16^ 


21M 
18 

179/10 


122 
152 
159 



Second play-off. 


800 points, 


Dec. 24th to 26th: 




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Jacob Schaefer. 




1 


1 


2 





284/7 


263/4 


187 


Maurice Vignaux 







1 


1 


1 


13 


1414 


109 


George F. Slosson 













2 


19^ 


14 


79 



161 

St. Louis, January 3 to February 17, 1887— 
14-inch balk line — handicap. The longest 
tournament on record. Entrance, $25; $400 
added by Roche and Schaefer; Wayman C. 
McCreery, handicapper; 5x10 table; 2% balls. 
Scratch men to play 300 points, Jos. UUman 
laid 8 to 1, take your pick: Matthews was 
favorite, and it was 15 to 1 against the winner. 



John A. Thatcher.. 180 
Frank Day 180 

T. J. Gallagher ...Scr. 

F. Maggioli ....225 

William Hatley....225 

Louis Reed 180 

W. H. Catton 270 

Eugene Carter Scr. 

John Matthews :...225 

John Moulds 180 

Edward Brown 100 

John F. Donovan.. 180 
Louis Shaw 225 







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8 


4 


612/13 


45/11 


8 


4 


6 


4H 


8 


4 


1515/19 


7H 


8 


4 


72%9 


6 


7 


5 


105/7 


6^ 


7 


5 


6% 


41/5 


6 


6 


10 


6M 


5 


7 


18M 


9 


5 


7 


5 


41^ 


5 


7 


71/5 


4^ 


5 


7 


46/11 


21/5 


3 


9 


432/37 


4 


3 


9 


105/22 


41/7 



42 
35 
69 
78 
56 
45 
68 
101 
37 
64 
16 
29 
53 



In plajdng off the four-handed tie, Thatcher 
and Day tied for first (each losing one game), 
and Gallagher and Maggioli again tied (each 
losing two games). Thatcher won the final play- 
off, and Gallagher beat Maggioli for third 
money. 



St Louis (Schaefer's Room), January 3 to 14, 
1888— 14-inch balk line — handicap tournament; 
games, 400 up. Twin tournament to cushion- 
carom handicap, Chicago, November, 1887 — $25 



162 

entrance, $250 added by B.-B.-C. Co.; net gate 
receipts to go to players. _ , 





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Jacob Schaefer... Scr. 
John T. Moulds.... 165 
Geo. F. Slosson...Scr. 

W. H. Catton 200 

Eugene Carter 270 

Frank Day 165 

J. A. Thatcher .....165 

F. Maggioli .200 

John F. Donovan.. 150 
Charles Schaefer ..165 


9 

7 
7 
6 
4 
4 
3 
2 
1 
2 



2 
2 

3 
5 
5 

6 

7 
8 

7 


.50 

129/13 
15%3 

It 

i 

510/13 
61/9 


235/13 

7% 

121/7 
78/11 

101/5 

4% 
4% 
5% 

41/6 

4i%o 


20C 
4E 

138i 
89 
73 
32 
Si 
31 
5^ 



John F. Donovan drew out of the tournament 
and his five remaining games were forfeited. 

Jacob Schaefer won $405, John T. Moulds $252, 
George F. Slosson $252, W. H. Catton $101. 
Carter and Day split $25, as the fifth man was 
to save his entrance. 

Madison St. Theatre, Chicago, November 26 
to November 8, 1888— 14-inch balk line — short- 
stop championship; entrance, $25; medal to 
represent championship; Schaefer and Slosson 
barred. Games, 200 points. 



Eugene Carter... 
T. J. Gallagher . 
W. H. Catton... 
John T. Moulds. 

F. Maggioli 

Frank C. Ives 

W. H. Hatley..., 
Henry Rhives 







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155/i3 


91/3 


5 


2 


111%7 


61/5 


5 


2 


142/7 


7 


3 


4 


81/3 


4 


3 


4 


91/11 


57/10 


2 


5 


5%7 


5% 


2 


5 


^V2 


51/3 


1 


6 


41/6 


4 



87 
65 
60 
63 
46 
37 
41 
41 



Eugene Carter won $250 
lagher divided second and 
each; Moulds and Maggioli 



; Catton and Gal- 
third prizes, $150 
each won $30. 



163 

Chickering Hall, New York City, February 
20 to March 1, 1890— handicap of lines— Schaefer 
and Slosson, 14-inch ; Maurice Daly, F. C. Ives, 
W. H. Catton, and J. R. Heiser, 8-inch. En- 
trance, $250; $2,500 added by B.-B.-C. Co. 
Games, 500 up ; 5 X 10 table. 



George F. Slosson 
Jacob Schaefer... 

Frank C. Ives 

W. H. Catton 

Maurice Daly 

J. R. Heiser 







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26% 9 


l'^%3 


2 


3 


25 


1^8%06 


2 


3 


15%/3 


12 


2 


3 


20% 


139/16 





5 


14 


1015/16 



136 
168 
105 
95 
118 
141 



George F. Slosson won $1,600, Jacob Schaefer 
$1,200. Daly, Ives, and Catton divided — $400 
each. 



Central Music Hall, Chicago, April 5 to 12, 
1890 — 14-inch balk line — handicap tournament; 
$250 entrance, $2,500 added by B.-B.-C. Co.; 500 
points up. 



^ 



Jacob Schaefer ...Scr. 

Frank C. Ives 275 

Geo. F. Slosson... Scr. 
William H. Catton. 250 

John R. Heiser 250 

Maurice Daly 300 







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386/13 


25 


4 


1 


25 


13M 


3 


2 


25 


202/11 


2 


3 


9M 


8Vs 


1 


4 


6M 


5% 





5 


8% 


7, 



200 
97 

178 
74 
52 
62 



164 

Chicago, February 16 to 27, 1891 —tournament 
for second shortstop championship emblem, 
given by B.-B.-C. Co., at the warerooms. 
Games, 400 points; 14-inch balk line. 



Eugene Carter 

Frank C. Ives 

W. H. Catton 

Ed. McLaughlin . . 

F. Maggioli _. 

W. H. Hatley 

Joseph W. Capron 
Louis vShaw 







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301O/13 


15% 


6 


1 


44% 


i9yi3 


4 


3 


271/19 


101/^ 


3 


4 


142/7 


9yi3 


3 


4 


1S% 


81/5 


3 


4 


12%3 


6V7 


2 


5 


1014 

78/11 





7 



Grand average of tournament, 98^/ioo- 



THE STORY OF THE CHAM- 
PIONSHIP. 

BALK LINE. 
THE ADVENT OF IVES. 

When, March 19, 1892, Frank C. Ives, then 
26 years of age, defeated Jacob Schaefer for the 
challenge cup, emblem of the world's cham- 
pionship at 14-inch balk line, there was naught 
in the game to even suggest that the dawn of 
a new billiard era was at hand. That such was 
the case, witness the scores of to-day, where in 
tournament play Jacob Schaefer at " 18-inch no 
shot in" has a record of a 40 average in 400 
points. 

December 1, 1890, Schaefer, having beaten 
Slosson for the challenge cup, was anxious 



165 

to have his protege, F. C. Ives, matched against 
"the Student," and to this end R, Roche, 
Schaefer's backer, offered to wager $4,000 to 
$5,000 that the wizard's judgment of the rising 
star of billiards was correct. In the eight 
months that had elapsed since Maggioli had 
defeated Ives the latter had improved wonder- 
fully, and while practicing with Schaefer at M. 
Daly's Brooklyn room had several times in 
fast contests "run Schaefer to a head." Noth- 
ing came of Roche's offer, and when, a few 
months later on, Ives,- after securing in a short- 
stop tournament— in which he came second to 
E. Carter — a grand average of over 19, fell in a 
match to an average of 9^^ in 500 (Carter scored 
478), his stock fell to away below par and he 
was classed as of the kind of billiardist called 
"a morning glory," a metaphor used in racing 
and applied to a horse that works well in the 
morning but does nothing in the afternoon, 
when the money is hung up. Ives, however, 
fancied that since he had been in billiards, for- 
tune had been somewhat unkind to him, and 
still had confidence that when luck changed for 
the better he would reach the front. At Mil- 
waukee, in a 600-point match with E. Carter, 
October 28, 1891, he won in the twentieth in- 
ning, so beating all match records; and when 
Schaefer and Slosson played for the champion- 
ship (New York City, January 22, 1892, Schaefer 
won, 800 to 592, and beat all records, with an 
average of 23%7), the Plainwell phenomenon 
challenged the winner before the game took 
place. At the time he had little faith in his 
ability to beat Schaefer, but thought, as the 
latter was out of form, that Slosson would 
win, in which event "the Student" would 



166 

be forced into a contest he had persistently 
declined. 

The erratic Jacob, as at other times in his 
career, "came to" and won the match; so that 
Ives found himself in a bad spot, from the 
standpoint of one who calculates the financial 
odds. He had himself posted the $250 forfeit 
for a championship match, and as the odds were 
sure to be 2 to 1 against him, nothing remained 
but for him to back himself at " evens " for the 
other $250. So he reasoned, but friends took 25 
per cent of his game, and when the youth went 
to the table on the night of March 19, 1892, t( 
meet the acknowledged speediest billiardist oi 
the world he had backed himself for $375 a' 
even money and $100 at 2 to 1. By winning the 
game he set a peg not likely to be reached 
while championship billiard matches are played, 
as here, for the first time, a tyro at the first 
attempt displaced the champion. The finj 
betting was $100 to $40 on Schaefer, with w 
takers. 

Ives J^ot to 500 on an average of 22, and from 
that out confined himself to safety play. The 
final score was 800 to 499. Winner's average, 
16i%9 ; high run, 95. Loser's average, 10i%8 ; 
high run, 45 (made from the spot). With the 
game two-thirds over the large assemblage 
cried "air, air!" (the crack billiardists. are 
said to be bred from salamanders, and always 
seek to have the hall at furnace heat), and when 
the windows were opened the balls chilled 
instanter, and Schaefer's chance was gone, 
Ives banging away and " nibbling out " by use 
of the draw stroke, which since has proved to 
be the real strength of his game. 

The ravens now began to croak. "Jake's all 



I 



■St 



167 

Tight," was the doleful cry; " but then Ives, you 
know, went on a Western tour with him. Don't 
you see? Why, Schaefer always wanted to 
give young players a chance. Wait and see 
what Slosson will do with that 16-average fel- 
low." For "Gentleman George" had chal- 
lenged the winner. 

The match was played May 21, 1892 (Chicago), 
and Ives won, 800 to 488, his average {2Q%) beat- 
ing all match records in a game of like length. 
Slosson's average (16^15) was slightly below 
that of Ives against Schaefer. Slosson ran 120 
in the fourth inning, and looked all over a win- 
ner, Ives finally got on his stride and ran 124 
and 122. When he was close to his opponent he, 
as if practicing, essayed the jump shot (first 
shown by J. Dion), and, counting, soon had 
perfect position. When the remarkable shot 
was made, James A. Murphy (now the owner of 
Star Pointer, the champion pacing horse) swung 
his hat high in air, and his enthusiasm but illus- 
trated the general feeling. 

Ives is said to have bet $2,000 of his own 
money on the game. If so, this is the largest 
betting transaction credited to a professional 
billiardist, Wm. Sexton being second with a 
$1,500 wager, placed on himself when he ran 77 
at cushion caroms and defeated J. Schaefer. 
Ives got on at even money. As yet there was 
nothing to indicate a marked improvement in 
billiard speed. Ives had simply done wonders 
for a boy. 

Four and one-half years had flown since first 
he entered the lists, and his rise to champion- 
ship form was a bad second to the career of 
Wm. Sexton, whom it had taken only eighteen 
months to scale the" ladder of billiard fame, he 



168 - 

first appearing in the Garnier tournament, 
November 15, 1875, and winning the champion- 
ship (America) medal, May 31, 1877, from J. 
Dion. That medal became the personal prop- 
erty of Sexton, as he thrice successfully defended 
it, once against C. Dion, and twice against G. 
F. Slosson. Ives, likewise, was never defeated 
for the challenge cup, but the history of this 
emblem redounds not to the credit of some ol 
the parties concerned. Ives going to Paris! 
Schaefer followed and issued a challenge foi^ 
the championship. Ives named one placd 
to play, Schaefer another. M. Bensinger, 
president of the billiard company which had 
instituted the championship, named' a third 
place. A disagreement all around and IveJ 
brought the cup back to Chicago. The donors 
decided it forfeited to them, and it now rests 
in the vaults of the B.-B.-C. Co., and since the 
challenge cup (14-inch balk-line championship) 
there has been no emblem either of the Ameri- 
can championship or the championship of the 
world at any style of game, either in France or 
the United States, until the one now held by 
Jacob Schaefer, which represents the world's 
championship at " 18-inch no shot in." 

Up to the fall of 1893, "nothing doing" was 
the condition of first-class billiards in this 
country. Our crack players struck a Klondike 
in Paris, and worked it until the gold was ex- 
hausted. 

Early in 1893 Ives was engaged in the games 
with John Roberts, champion of England, but in 
November, at Chicago, was played the 4,000- 
point match (five nights) for $2,500 a side, at 
14-inch balk line, between Schaefer and Ives. 
This was won by the former, who, 505 to the bad 



169 

at opening of play for the final night, scored 
1,305 to the 755 of his adversary, and beat his man 
45 points. This defeat was the most expensive 
to the loser of any ever known in billiards, as 
Ives stood to take down for his part $6,600. The 
betting had been heavy, at even money, but as 
Schaefer was taken ill the fourth day, the odds 
then laid were 25 to 1 against him, Joe. Ullman 
laying such price to Frank White for $40, and 
the last day 10 to 1 found no takers. Leo. Mayer, 
the backer of the winner, quit $1,700 loser, while 
James A. Murphy, the backer of Ives, won $2,200. 
The "hedging" was phenomenal. Mayer had on 
$1,200 against $1,000 that Schaefer would score 
the highest run, and when, on the second night, 
the wizard amassed .343 (anchor). Murphy of- 
fered his part of the bet for $50. Still the Ives 
end "cashed" as "the Napoleon" ran 456 
(anchor) the fourth night. The grand averages 
were: Schaefer, 2731/147; Ives, 27i3/i4g. The vic- 
tory of Schaefer was a most popular one, the 
more so as Ives took his defeat much to heart, 
and made intemperate remarks, which were 
duly retailed by prejudiced chroniclers. 

Following out the argument as to increase of 
billiard speed being largely due to improve- 
ment in tools, it may be stated that about this 
time (1893) was adopted the method used in 
English manufacture of billiard tables, where 
the slate is in thickness two inches and put on 
the bed by doweling instead of by the use of 
screws. Solidity and a more perfect level are 
thus gained. For fifteen years a gradual low- 
ering of the billiard table had been going on 
(the idea originating in France), and this facili- 
tated " reach." Again, shades (copied from the 
I English) threw the gaslight more brightly on 



170 Ij 

the table and at the same time protected thf 
eyes of the player. Blue chalk had been intro 
duced and "live" ivory. But, admitted tha. 
such improvements aided speed, still one must 
concede that the forward leap in billiards since 
1893 is unaccountable on any other proposition 
but that when Ives became a first-class player he 
either originated something, or, appropriating 
old ideas, refined them; or that Schaefer's 
grand genius quickened under the spur of this 
new rival. The subsequent tournaments held 
at " anchor allowed " conclusively proved that 
Ives and Schaefer had quite put Slosson out of 
the race and left to them only one possibility 



RUDOLPHES 
O 0«=:^Anchor Nurse" 



of defeat, that at the hands of the mighty 
Frenchman, Maurice Vignaux. In passing, it 
may be of interest to state the history of the 
"anchor shot." It is said this can be traced to 
A. P. Rudolphe, which player, disgusted when 
"rail play" was perfected, through not being 
able to master its intricacies, invented a jam- 
ming of the object balls side by side on the 
cushion, and thought thus to offset the rail. 
Jacob Schaefer improved upon this idea, and 
kept one ball free from the cushion. The first 
time the position came up in public play was in 
a game of the " handicap-of-lines " tournament 
(New York, February 20, 1890), and Schaefer 
ran 140. Ben Garno then and there dubbed 
this style of play " the anchor nurse." Before 



171 

the 4,000-point match Ives had discarded the 
idea of gaining "the anchor," saying "one 



SCHAEFERS ^^^ 
"Anchor Nurse*' 



throws too much away"; but Schaefer's 343 
caused him to change his foot, and he struck 
the position (identically the same spot on the 
table as had Schaefer — intersecting line on end 
rail) on the fourth night and ran 456. 

December 11 to 16, 1893, was played the New 
York tournament, anchor allowed — Schaefer, 
Ives, Slosson, the men finishing as named. 
Schaefer beat Ives one game (each man played 
two games with the others) by a score of 600 to 
50, running 566, and making an average of 100. 
At Chicago (tournament of January 8 to 13, 
1894), Ives, in a game with Slosson (anchor 
allowed), made 600 in six innings, and ran 
487. In this tournament each man was to play 
the others twice, and Slosson, having been 
beaten the first round by Schaefer, as well as 
Ives, cried "peccavi" as to the anchor, and at 
his suggestion the other players agreed to bar 
the shot, and finish the series of games, anchor 
barred. 

Ives, in the second night's play of the 4,000- 
point match with Schaefer, had shown the pos- 
sibilities of anchor barred, as without the use 



172 

of such shot he had scored 850 to his oppo^- i 
nent's 800, although Schaefer with it ran 343. 
He now showed an average of 331^ in 600 
points, but being beaten in the celebrated "one 



I 
The in+ersecling J 

Line Nurse. .__AA 

A mos+ favorable Position, i/-\ 

allowing Drive to either 

Side or End Rail. 



hole" by Schaefer on the second round, the 
men finished a tie for first money, Slosson 
having a clean score of four losing games. 



Wide Nurse 

Unnatural Rail 
by 

Ives 



O 



O 



The trio went to Cincinnati, and there (Febru- 
ary 1 to 3, 1894) engaged in three nights' play, 
Ives winning, with Schaefer second, Slosson 



"UT 



_!__. 



Chuck Nurse^ 

Out of Anchor. 
Out of Balk. 



173 

again failing to win a game. But at Boston 
(February 8 to 10, 1894), ''Gentleman George" 
popped up and took ample revenge, as there he 
beat both Schaefer and Ives and took first 

} 

"A Cheval^' ' 

A favorife Nurse j 

•b 

Schaefer. lO 



V 



money, his grand average being 23^, as against 
the 284;^ of Ives at Cincinnati. Ives did not win 
a game in the Boston tournament. 

The two 3,600-point matches of the fall of 1894 
conclusively proved Ives the superior of Schae- 
fer at 14-inch balk line, anchor barred, as in the 
first game (New York, November 12th to 17th) 



Line Nurse 

on 

Side Rail ^=*0 
a^ which G.F. SLOSSon O 
IS best. 



he won 3,600 to 3,074, with an average of 482%7, 
and in the second (Chicago, December 3 to 8, 
1894) defeated "the wizard" 3,600 to 2,831, aver- 
aging 4133/g7. 

The speed shown by both men upset all calcu- 
lations, the betting before the New York match 
being even money that a grand average of 30 
12 



174 

would not be beaten. Ives ran 359 at Chicago 
(fourth night) and 331 at New York (sixth night), 
neither run ever having been approached by 
any other player. Schaefer ran 244 at New 
York (fourth night) and 217 at Chicago (fifth 
night), such breaks being his best of record out- 
side the 271 made in Boston tournament. Th( 
last night's pla}^ at New York saw Ives with s 
total of 600 in ten innings, with Schaefer only 7 
behind, with an average of 58%. In the second 
night's play at New York Ives averaged 631/5 
632 points (best on record, number of points con 
sidered), while Schaefer overshadowed eve: 
this performance when in the fourth night' 
play at Chicago he averaged 62i^i 5 in 944 points 

This settled the game of 14-inch balk line, i 
far as the first-class players are concernec 
"Too fast," said the public. Ives receive 
as the net gate receipts at Chicago less than $60( 

For the next fifteen months there was nothinj 
seen of first-class billiards in the United States 
It looked as if Ives was in a class by himself 
The year 1895 engaged in bookmaking, he log 
nearly all his money, and the next winte 
eagerly accepted an offer to go to Spain, wher 
in the academy at Madrid he showed a rul 
of 777 at 14-inch balk line, anchor barred 
The spring of 1896 found him in Paris, looking 
over the situation with the idea of starting ai 
academy, but "times had changed" in th( 
regard of making big money, and he returnee 
to America, bringing with him Albert Garnier 
who twenty-three years before had for fou: 
days (October 2 to 6, 1873) held the emblems foi 
the American championship, both at the 4-ball 
game (" Diamond cue ") and the 3-ball game. 

It was upon this trip that Ives discovered 



175 

Kerkau, the youthful champion of Germany, 
who, coming to the United States, failed to 
beat at balk line the "shortstop" Edward 
McLaughlin. 

Before leaving this country Ives had engaged 
with Maurice Daly in the manufacture of a 
billiard cushion. To boom this article was 
instituted three billiard tournaments. The 
first was played in New York City, March 31 to 
April 5, 1896. The balk lines were extended to 
eighteen inches, one shot was allowed in balk 
and only five shots in "Parker's box" instead 



V/z 



Parkers Box 

3 72 X 7 Inches.. 



of the ten of the anchor-barred game. Ives and 
Schaefer tied for first money (tie not played off) 
with three winning and one losing game. 

Garnier was beaten four straight games, and 
his highest run was 36. Ives ran 200 and 
Schaefer 176. "Too fast " again was the cry, 
(Ives had a single average of, 50 and a grand 
average of 36i%2 ^.s against the 30 and 241^^ re- 
spectivebr of Schaefer.) And- so, taking in Daly, 
the quartette went to Boston (see "cushion 
caroms") for the second tournament. The 
third was played at Chicago May 18 to 23, 1896. 
This was a handicap (Ives and Schaefer, 500; 
Garnier, 300) at 18-inch, no shot in either anchor 



176 

or balk. Garnier won, beating Ives twice and 
Schaefer once. Ives came second through 
beating Schaefer both games. Schaefer beat 
Garnier one game. Up to this tournament a 
player had been allowed a second shot to get 
out of balk. 

Ives says that this affair lost for Daly and 
himself $1,000. This, in the face of the fact 
that superior billiards were shown, the first 
Ives-Schaefer game being declared the best 
exhibition of billiards ever played by the men 
who passed and repassed each other— Ives win- 
ning 500 to 439 in twenty-six innings. Only two 
runs of 100 (Schaefer, 111; Ives 103, from spot) 
were made, and it looked as if finally a style of 
game had been discovered to suit the public, and 
bring together, at a reasonable handicap, the 
first and second class billiardists. That the 
latter supposition was incorrect is proven by 
the tournament for the world's championship 
held at New York November 29 to December 
4, 1897 (won by Slosson), and the Chicago handi- 
cap tournament of January 17 to 22, 1898, where 
the scratch men, Ives and Schaefer, tied for first 
money. 

Although both these affairs were of like con- 
ditions to the Chicago tournament won by 
Garnier, the players, aside from the first-class 
men, had no chance whatever of securing first 
money. 

As a first-class race horse will run on any 
kind of a track, mud or no mud, so in billiards 
it has been demonstrated that the more balk 
lines the more easily wins the first-class expert. 

A fast cushion was used for the New York 
tournament, still upon it Ives made an average 
of 3034 (500-point game), and a run of 140 ; and 



177 

Jacob Schaefer, on the slow cushion at Chicago, 
sent in a single average of 40 (400 points), and 
scored in another game a run of 138 (made from 
spot in the game with Ives). Compared with 
Slosson, Schaefer, and Ives, the trio of short- 
stops, Sutton, Catton, and Spinks (and by per- 
formance these are the best players of the 
second-class) are nowhere. Ives' grand aver- 
age at Chicago was 24i%5; Schaefer 's, 18%; 
while Slosson's, at New York, was only 9^^. Yet 
as Schaefer's grand average at New York was 
9^, the match for the championship, February 
5, 1898, between "the wizard" and "the stu- 
dent," was thought to be an even thing. Slos- 
son, by Schaefer, has twice, in his career, been 
beaten to a standstill, z. e. at straight rail and 14- 
inch balk line, anchor allowed. At all other 
styles of billiards (bar three cushions and bank 
shots, which Slosson does not affect) the men are 
of like class. The strange feature of the exten- 
sion of the balk lines to eighteen inches is that 
thereby the "nursers," Slosson and Schaefer, 
have been again placed on a plane with Ives, 
whose excellence at wide billiards is most 
marked. 

Jacob Schaefer is now the champion of the 
world, he beating Slosson (New York, Febru- 
ary 5, 1898) by a score of 600 to 596. Eighty-one 
innings were consumed, and the high run was 
Schaefer's 76. So much for the fast cushion. 

The game is thus described by Mr. W. P. 
Foss: 

Both men played badly; Schaefer's third shot 
in a run of 59, made in the latter half of the 
game, was a scratch, and it was here that ''the 
wizard" began to recover and get his stroke. 
The 76 run in the last 100 points, which settled 



178 



, thel 
:r of! 



the match, was, of all billiards I ever saw, 
prettiest; Schaefer here nursing in center 
table, with occasionally a drive to side cushion, 
which returned perfect position for " facing the 
balls." Slosson, however, should have won, he 
missing twice on easy "follow," scoring which 
the player had gained fair position. 
BEST RECORDS. 

BALK LINE. 

Fourteen-inch— Milwaukee, October 28, 1891. 
Ives, 600; Carter, 183. Winner's average, 30; 
high runs, 133, 115. 

Fourteen-inch — Lenox Lyceum, New York 
City, January 22, 1892. Championship and $500 
a side. Schaefer, 800; Slosson, 592. Winner's 
average, 23i%4; high run, 155. Loser's average, 
1^3 V33; high run, 119. 

Fourteen-inch — Chicago, March 19, 1892. 
Championship and $500 a side. Ives, 800; Schae- 
fer, 499. Winner's average, 16i%9; high run, 95. 
Loser's average, lOi^si high run, 45 (from spot). 

Fourteen-inch — Chicago, May 21, 1892. Cham- 
pionship and $500 a side. Ives, 800; Slosson, 488. 
Winner's average, 26^; high runs, 124, 122. 
Loser's average, 16%; high run, 120. 

Fourteen-inch (anchor perfected)— Chicago, 
November 21 to 25, 1893. Match five nights, 
4 000 points, $2,500 a side. Schaefer, 4,000; Ives, 
3,955. Winner's average, 27^y±4,7', high run, 343 
(anchor). Loser's average, 27i%46; high run, 
456 (anchor). 

Fourteen-inch (anchor perfected)— New York 
City, December 11 to 16, 1893. Tournament, two 
games each. Schaefer won ; highest average, 
100 in 600-point game. Ives second; highest 
average, 50; high run, 141. Slosson third; high- 
est average, 41^; high run, 164. 



179 

Fourteen-inch— Chicago, January 8 to 13, 1894. 
Tournament, two games each. Schaefer and 
Ives tied, each winning three and losing one 
game. Ives, with anchor in, tied Schaefer's 
New York average, making 600 in six innings, 
with high run of 487. Slosson lost all his games. 
The anchor was barred after each of the others 
had beaten Slosson. 

Fourteen-inch (anchor barred); ten shots al- 
lowed in "Parker's box"— Cincinnati, February 
'1 to 3, 1894. Tournament for $1,500. Ives won; 
single- and grand average, 284^^; high run, 163. 
Schaefer second; grand average, 21i%4; high 
run, 74. Slosson third; grand average, 17i%7; 
high run, 97. 

Fourteen-inch (anchor barred) — Boston, Feb- 
ruary 8 to 10, 1894. Tournament for $1,500. Slos- 
son won; grand average, 23}^] high pun, 115. 
Schaefer second; grand average, 16; high run, 
271. Ives third; grand average, 19; high run, 146. 

Fourteen-inch (anchor barred) — New York 
City, November 12 to 17, 1894. Match for $2,500 
a side; six nights; 3,600 points, blocks of 600. 
Ives, 3,600; Schaefer, 3,074. All records beaten. 
Winner's grand average, 482%7; loser's, 412%^. 
Ives ran 331, Schaefer 244. On the sixth night; 
Ives 600, Schaefer .526 — ten innings for winner, 
nine for loser. Ives in second night's play, 
averaged 63I/5 in 632 points. 

Fourteen-inch (anchor barred) — Chicago, De- 
cember 3 to 8, 1894. Match for $2,500 a side; six 
nights; 3,600 points, blocks of 600. Ives, 3,600; 
Schaefer, 2,831. Winner's average, 413%7; 
loser's, 324^%7- Ives ran 359, Schaefer 217. 
Schaefer, in fifth night's play, made 944 points 
on a 6214^15 average. (Death of 14-inch balk line.) 

Eighteen-inch (ancjior barred); one shot in 



180 

balk; five shots allowed in "Parker's box" — 
New York City, March 31 to April 5, 1896. Tour- 
nament; two games each. Ives and Schaefer 
tied with three winning and one losing game. 
Garnier lost four games and won none. Ived 
had best single average (50), best grand averj 
age (36i%2), and best run (200). Schaefer ran 176i 

Eighteen-inch balk line (anclior barred); nd 
shot in either anchor or balk — Chicago, May 1^ 
to 23, 1896. Handicap tournament ; two games 
each, Ives and Schaefer (scratch), 500; Garnier, 
300. Garnier won, beating Ives twice and Schae- 
fer once. Ives was second through beating 
Schaefer twice. Schaefer beat Garnier once. 
Best single average — Ives (19%); best grand 
average— Ives (165%oo) 5 t)est run — Schaefer Ull). 

Eighteen-inch balk line Canchor barred); no 
shot in anchor or balk — New York City, No- 
vember 29 to December 4, 1897. Tournament 
for championship. Slosson won four games and 
lost none. Schaefer -won three and lost one. 
Ives won two and lost two. Daly and Sutton 
also started. Best single average — Ives (80^); 
best grand average — Ives (149^ qq); best run — 
Ives (140). 

Eighteen-inch balk line (anchor barred); no 
shot in anchor or balk — Chicago, January 17 to 
22, 1898. Handicap tournament. Ives and Schae- 
fer (scratch), 400 ; Sutton, Spinks, and Catton, 
260. Ives and Schaefer tied with three winning 
and one losing game. Sutton was third with 
two winning and two losing games. Tie not 
played off. Best single average — Schaefer (40); 
best run — Schaefer (138); best grand average — 
Ives (2418/65). 

Eighteen-inch balk line (anchor barred); no 
shot in anchor or balk — New York City, Febru- 



181 

ary 5, 1898. First match for the championship. 
Jacob Schaefer beat George F. Slosson (cham- 
pion) 600 to 596 in eighty-one innings. High 
run, 76, made by Schaefer. In the last 108 
points the winner averaged 18. 

Central Music Hall, Chicago, November 21 to 
25, 1893— match five nights, $2,500 a side, 14-inch 
balk line, anchor allowed. 





J. Schaefer 


F. C. Ives 




m 
'o 


U 

> 

< 


fi 

^ 
^ 


'o 

(1h 


o 
be 
c« 
u 

(D 
> 

< 




First night 

Second " 

Third ^' 

Fourth " 

Fifth '' 


800 
800 
628 
467 
1305 


40 

18 
29 
29 


118 

*343 

87 

114 

280 


663' 20% 
850: 4515/19 
887| 251^ 
800; 47 
755 165/9 


181 
263 
296 
*456 
113 



Total 4,000 

G'd average. 
^Anchor. 



2731/1 



3,955 



2713/146 



Madison Square Garden, New York City. 
December 11 to 16, 1893— tournament 14-inch 
balk line, anchor allowed; two games each. 





u 

0) 

OS 

Si 


xn 
> 


o 

o 
m 


o 

3 

2 
1 


o 

i 

2 
3 








J. Schaefer 

F. C. Ives 


"6 



1 




1 

1 

'o 






1 
1 
1 


100 
50 
41^ 


373%2 

25y5 
281/5 


566 
141 


G. F. Slosson 


164 



183 

Central Music Hall, Chicago, January 8 to 13, 
1894— tournament 14-inch balk line; two games 
"■^ each. 





u 
o 

o 

"\ 







> 
1— 1 



1 
'o 




o 

Xfi 

o 

n 
1 

*i 
1 


o 

3 
3 




o 

h3 


OS 
to ^ 


"ni OS 

It 
0< 




J. Schaefer 

F. C. Ives _... 


1 
1 

4 


373^ 
100 
34 


23% 

30M 
163^ 


216 

487 


G F. Slosson 


144 



*Anchor. 
The anchor was barred after first two games, 
and all bets on result of tournament declared 
off by the referee, Capt. A. C. Anson. 

Cincinnati, February! to 3, 1894— tournament 
14-inch balk line, anchor barred. $1,500 in prizes. 





o 


1 


as 
^ > 


CD 


^ 
^ 

^ 


F. C. Ives _... 


2 
1 





1 

9 


2117/20 
1723/27 


28^7 

2113/24 

1717/47 


1H8 


J. Schaefer 

Geo. F. Slosson 


74 
97 









Ives won $1,500 ; Schaefer, $900 ; Slosson, $300. 

Boston, February 8 to 10, 1894— tournament 
14-inch balk line, anchor barred. $1,500 in prizes. 





o 

2 


1 


O 


2 

1 


0) > 


<D 


0=^ 


Geo. F. Slosson .._ 


26 
24 
331/^ 


16 


115 


F. C. Ives- 


146 


J. Schaefer 


9,71 











183 










Madison Square Garden, New York City, 


November 12 to 17, 1894— match $2,500 a side, 


anchor barred, 


14«-inch balk line, 3,600 points. 


600 blocks. Passow cushion. 




Frank C. Ives 


Jacob Schaefer 
















Xfl 


as 






OS 






fi 


0) 


c 


a 


u 


rt 




o 


> 


^ 





> 


Ti 




^ 


< 


^ 


X 


< . 


^ 


First night 


568 


351^ 


153 


600 


355/17 


129 


Second ^' 


(532 


631/5 


223 


231 


231/5 


124 


Third '' 


()00 


546/11 


157 


250 


25 


61 


Fourth " 


600 


426/7 


177 


711 


549/13 


244 


Fifth ." 


600 


355/17 


125 


756 


4734 


126 


Sixth " 


600 


60 


331 


526 


583/9 


235 


Total 


3,600 3,074 


G'd average. 


4824/37 4120/37 


Ives' grand average, first 1,800 points, was 50; 


Schaefer's grand average, last 1,993 points, was 


5217/38. 




Central Music 


: Hall, Chicago, December 3 to 


8, 1894— match $2,500 a side, anchor barred, 14- 


inch balk line, 3,600 points, blocks of 600. Mon- 


arch cushion. 






Frank C. Ives 


Jacob Schaefer 










CD 
b/3 






Xfl 


aj 






03 






a 


(D 


G 


^ 





fl 




o 









> 


^ 




PlH 


< 


P^ 


0. 


■ < 


^ 


First night 


600 


2r%2 


158 


412 


■ 1817/22 


68 


Second " 


600 


426,4- 


167 


207 


1511/13 


36 


Third " 


600 


50 


281 


424 


386/11 


147 


Fourth " ..... 


6o0 


462/13 


359 


388 


m/s 


129 


Fifth " 


600 


371/^ 


164 


944 


6214/15 


217 


Sixth '^ 


600* 40 


165 


456 


324/7 


125 


, Total 


3,600 2,831 


; G'd average. 




4133/8. 


r 




3247/87 





184 

Madison Square Garden, New York City, 
March 31 to April 5, 1896— tournament given by 
Ives and Daly — 18-inch balk line (out on second 
shot, five shots allowed in "Parker's box.' 
Two games each. 







u 








<D 


o 




m 






CU 






^ 


■0^ 






> 
1— 1 


05 




o 








H\ 


F. C. Ives 




1 




1 
1 


3 


1 


50 


36i%2 


1\ 

200 


J. Schaefer...... 


6 
1 




1 
1 


3 


1 


30 


241/9 


176 


A. Garnier. 
















4 


139/13 


91/11 


36 



Tie was never played off. 



Central Music Hall, Chicago, May 18 to 23, 
1896— handicap tournament given by Ives and 
Daly — 18-inch balk line, no shot in anchor or 
balk. Ives and Schaefer (scratch) 500, Garnfer 
300. Two games each. 



A. Garnier 
F. C. Ives. 
J. Schaefer 







u 









<u 


<D 




^ 






bo 


^^ 





> 


ct3 
C/2 








Best 
Aver 


5h ^ 


-- 


1 
1 




1 


3 


1 


12 


93/5 








1 
1 


2 


2 


197/8 


1658/100 


1 




6 



"" 


1 


3 


171^25 


127/10 



53 
103 
111 



Madison Square Garden, New York City, 
November 20 to December 4, 1897— champion- 



ship tournament— 18-inch balk line, no shot in, 
$1,250 and net gate receipts, $100 entrance. 



un-a 


S; 


^ 





^ 


s? 


puBJO 


o 
o 

::^ :^ f^ :^ 

o 0:1 ^ t- 


«3 


aS^j9AV 
;s9a 


^^ ;! :^ ;J^ \« 

0? if3 -00 05 


;soq 


t-i Oi CO ^ 


uoAV 


-rf 00 0? Ti 


uowns 


^ ^ ^ ^ : 


Ai^a 


!-< r-( T-i ; ^ 


saAi 


,-1 -TH j 


.I9J9BqDS 


1-t • 


uossojs 




0000 




c 
tr 

X 

c 

ft 

c 


a 
a 

Xi 

(^ 


c/ 

> 

CJ 


1 





a: 





Played on fast cushion. Slosson won $1,218; 
Schaefer, $730; Ives, $487. 

Central Music Hall, Chicago, January 17 to 22, 
1898— handicap tournament— 18-inch balk line. 



186 

no shot in. F. C. Ives and Jacob Schaefer 
(scratch), 400 points each; W. A. Spinks, W. H. 
Catton, and George Sutton, 260 points each. 
$100 entrance, $1,750 added by B.-B.-C. Co. 



un-g 



pu^JO 



aSBJ9AV 

^S9a 



c^soq; 



«OAV 



^ 



O^ CO ' CO 



CO CO «M tH -T-H 



s^^uids 



uo:^;^^ 



uo;;ns 



jaj9^H0S 



S9AI 



O rn i-t 



r-l O O O 



o 


<u 


o 


o 


-,^4 


> 


crt 






n 




,r! 


d 


OS 

O 




d 


^ 




C/2 


,i4 


o 
o 

t— 1 


be 

Q 

CD 

o 







Tie not played off. Played on slow cushion. 
Deficit of $400 taken out of $1,750 added money. 



187 
SHORTSTOPS AT THEIR BEST. 
Chicago, January 18 to 27, 1806 (Recital Hall) 
— shortstop tournament — 14-inch balk line ; 
mone}^ prizes, $1,000 ; anchor barred. 



Gallagher . . 

Maggioli 

McLaughlin 

Hatley 

Sutton 

Capron 







(U 


<u 






bJD 


bjO 






as 


nzJ as 


n 


rn 


liife 




5 


n 


(U > 







pq<: 


o<i 


28^7 


19% 


3 


2 


142/7 


10% 


2 


3 


21 


13^ 


8 


2 


123^ 


11 


1 


4 


13*75 


9M 


1 


4 


13 


8% 



104 

91 

114 



54 



Pittsburg, February 27 to March 6, 1897 
(Harr}^ Davis' Room)— shortstop'tournament — 
14-inch balk line; anchor barred; money prizes 
$1,000; divided, 40, 30, 20, 10 per cent. 



Catton 

Gallagher . . 

Spii^iks 

Mag:gioli .. 
Mcl^aughlin 
SutVon 





0) 


o 




U) 


^ ^ 




03 


'd OS 


o 1 ^ 




ss 


-i o 


0) > 


5-1 > 


?^U 


W<i 


o<i 


2 3 


222/9 


135/12 


3 2 


27 


17Vl7 


3i 2 


364/11 


1411/12 


2 8 


131/3 


101/7 


2 3 


15%3 


111%4 


3 2 


222/9 


12 



97 
100 
138 

99 

78 



I Grand average of tournament, 13. 
In paying off the ties (March 8th and 9th), Sut- 
ton beat Spinks 400 to 311, averaging 14^^7, and 
Gallagher, 400 to 196, averaging 16, so winning 
first prize. Spinks beat Gallagher 400 to 135, 
averaging 40, and running. 187 for the second 
prize. 



Chicago, March 27 to April 9, 1897— (C. E. 
Green's Imperial Billiard-room) — shortstop 
tournament, 14-inch balk line; money prizes, 
$1,000; anchor barred. 



Sutton 

Spinks 

Gallagher _ . 

Catton 

McLaughlin 
Maggioli ... 
Matthews .. 







CO 


<D 






be 


^ ^ 






03 


T3 «j 


5=1 
O 




Ifl ^ 


^fe 


^ 


n 


<U > 


;h > 


h:i 


CQ<1 


o< 


4 


2 


301O/13 


21Vio 


5 


1 


182/11 




2 


4 


21 


15^ 


5 


1 


2sy2 


isS 


8 


8 


1% 


1 


5 


28 


13 


1 


5 


15 


9% 






169 
167 

95 
158 

99 
107 
118 



Grand average of tournament, 14%. 
In playing off tie (April 12th), Catton beat 
Spinks 600 to 47'8, averaging 20. Spinks beat all 
shortstop records for high run, with 194. 



BILLIARDS CAN BE TAUGHT. 

Billiards, of all games, is undoubtedly the 
more difficult to learn, a fact plainly shown by 
the scarcity of good players. Yet it may be 
said that it is only in the past fifteen years that 
methods of teaching have been arrived at, 
which enable a tutor to put his pupil on the 
right track. To-day the minor professionals 
find profitable employment in giving billiard 
lessons, and such of these as watch the progress 
of a novice closely are loud in their expressions 
of faith that, given arable soil, a splendid crop 
can be raised. It is to be hoped that such is the 
case, as, once let every young man play 
billiards fairly well, and much will be removed 



189 

from the path of mankind in the way of games 
which, while they amuse, debase. 

The argument that billiards combines more 
excellencies than any other game is unanswer- 
able. The writer has long entertained the idea 
that the appointment of a professional billiard- 
ist as instructor at Harvard, or any other col- 
lege, would be a move in the direction of send- 
ing young men into the busy world with an 
added accomplishment. Now, college-bred 
men, as other billiard amateurs, are saddled with 
faults, in respect to billiard playing, that never 
could have grown into bad habits if pointed 
out at the time of contraction. Not only do 
most men play billiards awkwardly, but contor- 
tions of body follow the delivery of every 
stroke, and not only grace is sacrificed, but 
even health is threatened by strained positions, 
which seriously impair the action of the lungs — 
a portion of the anatomy that should have 
every freedom of movement to offset the bad 
effects of the heated air, seemingly a necessary 
adjunct of every public billiard table. 

That the beginner may, in the absence of a 
teacher, be set right on vital points, the author 
offers the following: 

SUGGESTIONS TO NOVICES. 

Stand Erect as -Rossible.— The cue must 
be sighted like a gun, but the best marksman 
does not find a stoo^ng position necessary. 
Rather squat than stqi^p. 

Stand Firm.— AWid a swinging motion of 
the body. Ives, when with one leg over the 
table, invariably hooks his toe under the rail 
to secure solidity. A billiar-dist should be per- 
fectly balanced when both feet are on the floor. 
13 



190 



Ives, when possible, braces himself against the 
table frame. 

Make a Solid Bridge.— The teaching of 
Michael Phelan's book, as that of many others 
printed since, will not answer the requirements 
of modern billiards. As much of the hand as 
is possible should rest solidly on the cushion or 
table-bed, as against the raised bridge where 
center of hand furnishes no support. Hold the 
cue naturally, like a cane or fish-pole; there 
is no arbitrary way. 

Make a Short Bridge.— The old idea of 
having the cue-point several inches from the 
ball has been found wanting, and so discarded. 
The closer the cue-point to the ball the better, 
no matter what theory obtains as whether to 
strike the cue-ball or push it. Two inches 
play of cue from hand to ball is better than 
more vibration. 

Shoot Through the Fingers.— This as 
against the old teaching of resting the cue on 
top of the hand. The covered bridge is more 
likely to direct the cue-point to the exact spot 
aimed at. 

Avoid Waste Motion.— There is nothing in 
fiddling with the cue. The preliminary moves 
are only to gauge the spot aimed at. 

Deliver the Stroke True.— Many an old 
timer aims above the center and then ducks 
on draw stroke — a bad fault, indeed. Some, 
again, wishing right twist, fiddle on left side of 
cue-ball, and then cross over. 

Strike Cue-Ball Fair.— The best profes- 
sionals are so little from the center of the cue- 
ball, no matter what action is desired, that the 
cue-point, however large, can not be seen over 
the top or past the sides of the ball. This in con- 



\ 



191 

trast to the tyro, who fancies that one must get 
away off on the edge of the ball to gain desired 
effect. More miscues come from failure to 
strike cue-ball fairly than from any other cause. 
Rudolphe once, while playing bank shots, lost 
his cue-tip, and offering $7 to $10 that he would 
win the game without a tip, "got on" for a large 
amount and captured the stakes. 

Strike Straight.— A side stroke is used by 
the genius Jacob Schaefer, but no copyist has 
ever been able to run 50 at any kind of billiards. 
The wizard, apparently without sighting, gains 
all kinds of effects, but there is only one Jacob 
Schaefer. The pendulum movement of Vig- 
naux's arm is considered to be perfection. 
With a thin leather (and this glassy), he never 
makes a miscue. 

Hold the Cue Level.— No one can play 
well if the cue teeters. Such stroke may " look 
pretty," but has no solidity. Wm. Sexton, of 
Americans, would be the best teacher of a level 
stroke, for no billiardist ever hit a ball more 
cleanly. The side and up-and-down movement 
of the cue must be avoided. 

Go Through the Ball. —That is, do not 
jerk. Players can not seem to understand that 
the same motion of the cue causes a draw, or a 
follow, or a stop shot, just as the ball is struck 
below center, above center, or dead center. 
Few try to push a ball ahead, but the majority 
of amateurs seek to jerk the ball back. 

Do Not Play Favorites. — When a man 
begins to improve at billiards he fancies a cer- 
tain stroke peculiarly his long suit, and sacrifi- 
ces much by always looking for it. Tr}' to 
think that one shot is as easy of execution as 
another, and maybe some day you will be a 



192 



world's champion. Even so great an expert ai 
F. C. Ives is too much given to one style of stroke' 
i. e., ''the spread." Maurice Vignaux, when in 
America in 1885, was "all ball-to-ball," like 
Ives to-day, but when he learned cushion car- 
oms, he, in playing balk line, often took a cush- 
ion where formerly he had spread from ball to 
ball. Slosson, the opposite of Ives, may u^e 
cushion caroms too much. 

Avoid Heavy Twist. — The natural angle 
is the important thing to learn well. Some 
teachers argue that a beginner should shoot the 
cue-ball only around the table for many weeks 
before trying to hit anything except the cushion. 
The French corner game is the best practice 
for the natural angle. At three cushions and 
bank shots knowledge of the natural angle 
is indispensable to all players except Jacob 
wSchaefer, possibly the champion at both styles. 
Who can say if Schaefer played by the diamonds 
instead of trusting alone to his marvelous eye 
that he would not be of higher speed than now. 
It is far easier to control the direction of a ball 
when sliding or rolling than when spinning. 

''Half Follow" instead of "Fine."— A 
thing particularly impressed by teachers at the 
"English game." The first trial from almost 
any position of the balls will show wherein the 
player gains. A half follow almost invariably 
corrals the spheres, whereas a fine shot (other 
than across the face) scatters them. 

Go the Short Road.— Play one cushion in 
preference to two or more, and stay on the end 
of the table, if possible. Never figure on where 
balls are going to stop when they are rolling. 
Do not consider you are in bad luck because 
cue-ball is frozen to the cushion. "Tommy" 






193 

Wallace and Wm. Sexton overcame the handi- 
cap of the frozen ball, and it is possible to make 
even a masse from such position. 

Don't " Squeeze." — " Body English " can 
not do good, and one may make a foul. Ives is 
an example of how '' kidding " will fasten a bad 
habit. In 1887 he never " squeezed," but finally 
did it for fun. Witness the difference in style 
of Schaefer and Ives, and keep your body still 
while the balls are rolling. Jno. Roberts is as 
graceful a player as Schaefer. He never flinches 
after delivering a stroke. Some "squeezers" 
begin to ''pull" before they ''let go," and the 
.stroke is then an imperfect one. Witness T. J. 
Gallagher. 

Never Mind a ''Scratch."— If your oppo- 
nent chances to "fluke," most likely he is 
playing badly. Scoring one yourself, go on 
desperately; the inning is not rightfully yours, 
and points made are so much clear gain. 

Play Easy Styles.— Amateurs may be seen 
playing "18-inch balk line no shot in " that are 
not up to a 30-run at French three-ball billiards. 
The argument (a bad one) is : "I can make as 
many at this style as at straight rail." If this 
is true, how can wide billiards improve any 
man? Ives had to learn "the rail" before he 
began to improve, and the best rail players are 
the best at other styles. In England, Roberts 
could beat anybody at " the spot stroke " before 
it was barred. A man without " delicacy " can 
never be a great billiardist. The beginner 
should make every count possible before scat- 
tering the balls. 

No STYLE Injures Sti^oke.— Alonzo Morris 
is responsible for the generally voiced opinion 
that a certain style of billiards should be closely 



194 

adhered to. He told of a ''cushion -carom 
stroke," a ''balk-line stroke," etc. The play in 
the Paris academies showed that there was 
nothing in Morris' theory. There the first-class 
men beat world's records in short games at the 
balk line, and an hour thereafter beat world's 
records at cushion caroms. Schaefer, when 
practicing for the championship, thinks nothing 
of playing at pin pool or 15-ball pool, and will 
even try bank shots. His theory is the, right 
one, treating, as it does, of perfect training of 
the arm, which enables a man to execute as 
quickly and as correctly as he thinks. Wm. 
Burleigh, Frank Ives, and Geo. Sutton were 15- 
ball pool players to start in with, and DeOro, 
the champion expert at the game, who defeated 
at pyramids Jno. Roberts (games played in part 
on English and American tables), was at the 
time a noted player at three cushions. 

Use a Heavy Cue.— Ives plays with a cue 
weighing twenty-three oimces. Nothing is 
necessary for a 12-inch draw but to let the 
weight of the cue do the work. 

Use a Big Tip.— George Sutton is the only 
expert of class that still sticks to the "tooth- 
pick" point. In 1884 all experts of America, 
except Slosson (who always stood by his orig- 
inal big tip), used a small-pointed cue. Ives, in 
1890, went back to the big tip and the others 
followed. Ives' tip projects over the wood, as 
"The Napoleon" fancies a "goose-neck" to 
play through his fingers, rather than a cue that 
gradually tapers. The theory that a ball will 
do more things if struck by a small tip is sound, 
but even the best players can not be sure of 
hitting the ball exactly as they wish, and so 
have agreed that a big tip is the best, all things 



195 

considered. The only reason that Sutton gets 
along so well on long shots with his "tootii- 
pick" is, that he has a splendid eye and an un- 
erring stroke. 

Play Quickly.— You will lose nothing in 
speed, and not worry your friends. 

Avoid Affectation.— Do not look at a hard 
shot when everybody knows you intend play- 
ing an easy one. Chalk your cue while the 
balls are rolling. Life is short. 

Don't Whine.— Miscues generally come 
from fault of the player. The file and sand- 
paper are for use before and not after the mak- 
ing of a miscue. 

Blame Yourself.— If you ''come close," 
"•tie up," "miss the first ball," and in other 
ways are hampered, it is probably your own 
fault. Some professionals blame the chalk line 
for the ''roll off"; others the fold in the cloth; 
yet others claim a '' toothpick " spoils the chalk. 
These men are only objects of ridicule. 

Never Use the Bridge.— The use of the left 
hand should be cultivated from the start. Pro- 
fessor Kaarless' little daughter makes a ''fol- 
low and force" left handed. This shows the 
possibilities. Any superiority Ives may pos- 
sess as against Schaefer can be attributed to 
the fact of his having been born left handed. 
Ives, forced to use the bridge when playing 
with Roberts on a 6 x 12 table, used it with one 
to go (match with Schaefer), so meeting defeat 
when the shot was " on " without aid of bridge, 
and easily reached left handed. 

Never Put Cue Behind Back.— It will take 
you years to do this without knocking out 
somebody's eye, and then' your back will so 
have thickened that the kidneys will be in- 



19^ 

j tired. With cue behind back it is difficult to 
"sight." 

Stand Close to the Table.— Jacob Schae- 
fer occupies less space than anybody, and in 
France even he is known as the most graceful 
of experts. 

Never Play Deliberate Safety. -It takes 
a general to win through crippling his opponent. 
Most players Only injure themselves. Such 
safety, as a rule, acts as a boomerang. At ball- 
to-ball billiards, keep away from the red when 
you miss ; at three cushions stay with the red ; 
at cushion caroms leave the balls in center of 
table for your opponent, with his ball against 
the cushion, but endeavor, when playing your- 
self, to get one or both object balls near some 
cushion. 

Fiddle-bow Movement of Wrist.— Pretty, 
but not necessary. This was proven when 
Jacob Schaefer twice broke his wrist. He now, 
with a stiff wrist, plays better than ever, 
although his nursing masse is not so effective. 

Forearm Movement.— Best to copy. Shown 
to perfection by G. F. Slosson. More billiardists 
use this stroke than any other. The full-arm 
stroke shown at times by Ives and Schaefer is 
sure only to such great masters of the cue. 

System to Copy.— Slosson's. He rarely "ties 
up." One trying to copy the position-play of 
Schaefer makes a draw all right, but where 
the wizard goes on with a masse the other 
stops through inability to effect such stroke. 
An inferior player can not get along with 
Ives' system at all, for this is a series of 
difficult side draws, where position is eventually 
secured by landing on the right side of second 
object ball. 



197 

Watch Good Players.— The best profes- 
sionals have had but few shots shown to them. 
In fact they are men that never ask questions. 
Each has picked up some excellence from the 
other. Great power of observation has carried 
them to the front rank. The future champion 
maybe, as it were, college bred, but these men 
are self taught. Excellence at billiards is much 
more a matter of knowledge of positions than is 
generally supposed. Ives and Schaefer might 
be sitting near where you (a half average man) 
were playing, and by something executed by so 
poor a player, add a mite to their stores of 
valuable positions. Therefore, you can afford 
to watch all others while at play, and noting 
excellence, incorporate it in your system. No 
professional billiardist of the past or present 
but that has made a close study of the game. 
Once interested, you will never weaken, and as 
you improve, derive a measure of such satisfac- 
tion as feels the writer in giving you ''the tip." 



THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 

OF AMERICA. 

In 1887 the New York Racquet Court Club 
conceived the idea of discovering the best ama- 
teur billiard player in the United States, and 
for such purpose instituted a tournament for 
the championship, and a solid silver tankard of 
the value of $500, such emblem to become the 
personal property of the winner. The best 
amateur billiardist in and around New York 
was Wilson P. Foss, a man of middle age, then, 
as now, engaged in the manufacture of dyna- 



i 



198 

mite at Haverstraw, N. Y. This gentleman the 
governors of the Racquet Court Club tourna- 
ment pronounced ineligible, because of the fact 
that as a poor boy, many years before, Mr. Foss 
had been glad to serve in the employ of the 
well known C. J. E. Parker of Chicago, who then 
kept a billiard room at Springfield, Mass. Mr.^ 
Foss at no time in his career appears in the rec 
ords of billiards, but good naturedly he sus- 
tained the objection against him, and actuall 
served as one of the referees of .the tourne; 
from which he had been barred. 

The best amateur billiardist in America at 
the time was Wayman C. McCreery of St. 
Louis. He also was barred through a fancied 
taint of professionalism, coming from his par- 
ticipating in the tournament (handicap) held in 
St. Louis in 1878, where Schaefer first astonished 
the world by beating Sexton's record run of 417 
with 429. Mr. McCreery here started to fill 
vacancy caused by illness of J. Dion, and had 
no suspicion as to his amateur standing being 
affected. Thus, with two really good players 
barred, the tourney was a walk-over for Mr. 
Orville Oddie, who, playing "straight rail," 
could show nothing better than a single aver- 
age of 151^19, a grand average of 11, and a high 
run of 195. McCreery, in the series of games 
above mentioned, had, nine years before the 
Racquet Court Club tournament was held, 
made a single average of nearly 18, a grand 
average of over 12, with a high run of 88, 
and then defeated Slosson. At the time of the 
Racquet Court Club tourney, Martin Mtillen, a 
big shipper of coal, living at Cleveland, Ohio, 
was considered the equal of McCreery at ball- 
to-ball billiards. 



199 

• Mullen cares only to play billiards for amuse- 
ment (but if he feels like it, is apt to bet $500 on 
the side), and he never gave the New York affair 
ia thought. Still it is understood that then, as 
now, he would be barred from an amateur tour- 
nament, because in 1875 he started in a tourna- 
ment held at Cleveland, for the Ohio champion- 
ship. Certainly no man has a right to question 
the framing of rules by any body of men, looking 
to institutions entirely their own; and if the Rac- 
quet Court Club wished to declare in its privacy 
"Orville Oddie is the amateur billiard champion 
of America," well and good. But when this 
expert's speed was compared with that of Foss, 
McCreery, or Mullen (the first and last named 
have met several times in fast and even con- 
tests), it looked a trifle like the doings of a 
man who, in his own backyard, declared: "I 
can lick John L. Sullivan." However, the 
record shows that Mr. Orville Oddie is the 
only amateur champion that America ever 
had, and so he must be taken seriously. 
The only thing he lacked was speed at billiards. 
In all else the amateur champion is up to all 
standards ; and would that there were more 
like him— an ornament to the game of billiards. 
Mr. Oddie, in 1888, won the Townsend cup 
(value, $1,000), representative of the amateur 
championship of the United States. This beau- 
tiful emblem was the gift of the president of 
the Racquet Court Club (No. 55 West Twenty- 
sixth Street, New York City), and must needs 
be won three times at the annual tournaments 
to become personal property. Mr. Oddie won 
it the second time in 1889, and when, in 1890, 
no player entered the lists against him, the 
" Townsend cup " was voted his, to hold forever. 



New York Racquet Court Club, May 23 to 28, 
1887— tournament for the amateur champion- 
ship of the United States; 5x 10 table; 2% balls; 
straight rail. 





o 


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u > 


^ ■ 


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m<1 


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5 





1515/19 


11 


183 


4 


1 


6I4 


417/29 


58 


3 


2 


5^ 


4^ 


98 


3 


2 


6% 


4% 


57 


1 


4 


5/^ 


3% 


63 





5 


5 




39 



Orville Oddie, Jr 

Alex. Morten .. 

Dr. H. D. Jennings . 

J. E. Soule 

C. F. Jones 

G, A. Flanagan . 



New York Racquet Court Club, May 14 to 19, 
1888— first renewal amateur championship; first 
contest for Townsend cup. Games, 300 points. 



Orville Oddie, Jr 

Clement Bainbridge.. 

Dr. H. D. Jennings 

Alex. Morten 






8I/3 
55/11 

53%7 



u > 



78/11 

45/7 

413/18 

36/17 



109 



81 
47 



New York Racquet Court Club, May 13 to 18, 
1889— second renewal of amateur championship; 
games, 300 points; 5x 10 table; 2% balls. Special 



201 

rule allowing option of spotting or playing 
away in case cue-ball is frozen. 



Orville Oddie, Jr. . 
Arthur Townsend 
Richard J. Magninness 
Dr. H. D. Jennings 
Andrew Miller 







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511/17 


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4 


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4 



195 

138 



101 

42 



Chicago, February 25, 1895 (B.-B.-C. Co.'s 
warerooms)— tournament, amateur champion- 
ship of Illinois— 14-inch balk line, 5 x 10 table, 
2% balls. 



C. E.Ellison. 
Frank Rice.. 
Wm. Kellogg 
Thos. Nolan. 

Goodwin 

Adams 

Ed. Rein 

Brown , 







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10 


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4 


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Q}4 


4M 


3 


4 


5 


3% 


3 


4 


6 


4 


4 


3 


61^ 


4% 


1 


6 


4 


31/5 





7 


4 


3 



Ellison played one match for the emblem, 
then defeating Mr. Milburn at the Chicago 
Athletic Association on a 6 average, and the 
medal finally became his personal property. 

C. E. Ellison, of Chicago, is thought to be as 
good a player as any amateur in America, at 
the balk-line games. 



202 

ALL KINDS OF BALKS. 

MANY LINES DRAWN TO CHECK BII 
LIARD PLAYERS' SPEED. 

Billiards, a game that has been centuries il 
developing, is played wherever civilization e:a 
ists. It mimbers among its votaries the intelli 
gent of all nations, but it has reached the high- 
est plane in the United States of America, and 
the champion of the world, at the style of bil- 
liards considered the standard, is an American 
— Jacob Schaefer. 

Forty years ago the billiard table in use was 
in size 6 x 12, with six pockets. The size of the 
balls, of which there were four, was 2% inches 
(same as now used in match play). The first 
damper to high scores was when pocketing the 
balls was barred, and in 1859 the Phelan-Seerei- 
ter match for $15,000 stakes was played, caroms 
only counting. Until the tournament in 1869, for 
the championship (diamond cue), the player 
effecting a count upon red and white was 
credited with 2 points; striking the two reds 
counted 3. After this, until the 4-ball game 
went out of existence (1876), a single carom 
counted 3; double caroms, 6 points. In 1863 
the number of pockets was reduced to four. 
Until the Dion-McDevitt match of June 10, 1867, 
pushing and crotching were allowed. Dion 
made 616 in the jaw, and crotching was barred. 
McDevitt, September 16, 1868, ran 1,458 by aid of 
the push shot, and that style of stroke was 
barred. But curtailment of speed in one way 
was made good in another; as here, for the first 
time, a 53^ x 11 table was used by the champions. 



203 

So the diamond-cue championship contests 
were played on a 53^x11 table; 2% balls; push 
and crotch barred. 

For several years before the death of the 4-ball 
^ame, some of the experts of high-class had 
been experimenting with the view to the im- 
provement of billiards, and when, in 1873, Albert 
Garnier won the first 3-ball championship of 
the world, a 5x10 carom table was used, and 
upon such size table has every champion- 
ship game, from then till now, been con- 
tested, except in the case of the Collender 
tournament at cushion caroms, where a 41/^x9 
table was used. As, although the crotch was 
barred at the 3-ball game, the players fiddled 
closely around the corners of the table, the 
1874 tournament, for the American champion- 
ship (won by Vignaux), was played with the 
first balk line ever put upon a billiard table, 
triangular spaces occupying the corners, and in 
these (made by a line drawn from 5^ inches 
on side and end rails) only two shots could be 
made, the third in balk causing loss of the 
inning. 

Until, in 1879, Jacob Schaefer, perfecting rail 
play, made 1,000 points in three innings, no new 
bar was thought necessary. Now came in ''the 
Champion's game," and the triangular spaces 
of the 1874 tournament were increased in size 
by lines drawn from 28 inches on side cushion 
to 14 inches on end cushion. It was at this style 
of billiards that Slosson held the championship, 
and at which he put on record the only defeat 
Maurice Vignaux ever sustained in France at 
ball-to-ball billiards, since, in 1878, he became 
the acknowledged champion of his own country. 
Slosson having averaged nearly 38, and run 



204 

398, and Schaefer and Vignaux classing with 
him, the game was voted ''too fast," and al- 
though the lines were increased to 40x20 inches 
''the Champion's game" went out of existence 
in 1885. 

Four years before, cushion caroms had been 
tried, but "too slow " was the verdict. In 1883, 
Benjamin Garno, a noted writer on old-time 
billiards, conceived the idea of a continuous 
balk line to be drawn at any desired distance 
from the cushion, and to this venerable and 
accomplished newspaper man is accorded the 
honor of inventing the balk-line game of bil- 
liards, (In country towns the supposition is that 
Julius Balke, the elder, first put balk lines on the 
billiard table; so much for similarity of names.) 
Jno. Randolph Heiser is said to have suggested 
the intersecting line. The first tournament 
held (1883) was at 8-inch, but Vignaux' aver- 
age of 44% in 3,000 points (1884) caused a widen- 
ing of the lines, and 12-inch was tried (January, 
1885), at which, in 800 points, Schaefer averaged 
14 April 20, 1885, was played the first tourna- 
ment at 14-inch, and no further extension of the 
lines was found necessary until ten years later, 
when they were set at 18 inches from the cushion. 
At about the same time the original "one shot 
in" (erroneously called "two shots in") was 
changed to "no shot in." 

When, in 1893, "the anchor" made possible 
runs like Schaefer's 566, C. J. E. Parker invented 
a rectangular space {3% x 7 inches) placed at 
first diamonds of side and end rail, and ' such 
space is known as " Parker's box." Ives' great 
averages of 48 and 41 (made in matches of 3,600 
points, anchor barred, 14-inch) caused fertile 
brains to seek a new arrangement of balk lines, 



205 

and now that Schaefer has averaged 40 at 
18-inch, speculation is more active than ever in 
the line of discovering a way to hold first-class 
billiardists down to runs of 100 and still not 
spoil the beauties of ball-to-ball billiards. 

BALK LINES vSHOWN. 
Herewith will be found diagrams of the vari- 
ous balk-line games of billiards, with the best 
performances, and by whom made, as well as 
the inventors of the several styles as far as 
known: 





14 Inches 

















Diagram 1 — Continuous Balk Line. 
Shows a game invented by Ben Garno of 
New York. No match or tournament was ever 
played at this style of game. 





8 TO 14 Inches 




8 TO 14 , 
Inches 













Diagrann 2 — The Intersecting Balk Line. 



14 



206 



m 



The short lines are said to have been sug- 
gested by Randolph Heiser. 

Best records, 8-inch, America, Jacob Schaefer, 
average of 40 in 600 and 38 in 800; high runs, 
220, 211. 

France, Maurice Vignaux (match with Schae* 
fer), average of 44% in 3,000; high run, 32g| 
Schaefer was beaten only 131 points. 

Fourteen-inch, anchor unknown, America! 
Maurice Vignaux, tournament average of 75 iil 
600. Jacob Schaefer, average of 25% in 3,000; 
high run, 230. (Match with Vignaux.) 

Fourteen-inch, anchor in, but imperfectly 
played. Frank C. Ives, average of 30 in 600 and 
of 26 in 800 in the championship match with 
Slosson. Jacob Schaefer's 31 in 600 (match 
with Vignaux) and high run of 230 not yet 
beaten. 

Fourteen - inch, anchor perfected. Jacob 
Schaefer and Frank C. Ives both scored 600 in 
six innings (tournament play), and Schaefer ran 
566 to the 487 of Ives. In all the public play 
between these experts, at this style of game, 
Schaefer's grand average was 31 ; that of 
Ives, 29. 

In France, on Ives' first visit, he claims that 
his grand average in the handicaps of the 
academies reached 45, as against the 36 of 
Schaefer in like contests for the same length of 
time. Vignaux, anchor in, although he can not 
play the system, beat Schaefer a match in Paris 
with an average of 37^^ in 1,200 points, which is 
the French record. 

The method of preventing anchor play is 
credited to Charles J. E. Parker of Chicago. 
Best records, 14-inch— Frank C.Ives, average 
of 48 in 3,600; high runs, 395 and 331. Jacob 



207 

Schaefer, 41 ; high run, 271. One night's play an 
average of 63 in 994 made by Schaefer. 



--t 



m 



Diagram 3 — Anchor Barred — " Parker's Box," 10 Shots- 

Eighteen-inch, anchor barred, one shot in 
balk, five in "Parker's box." F. C. Ives (New- 
York, March 31, 1896), average 50 in 600. High 
run of 200 made by same player in the same 
tournament. 

Eighteen-inch, anchor barred, no shot in balk 
and no shot in anchor. Jacob Schaefer, aver- 
age 40 in 400, with high run of 138 (Chicago, 
January 21, 1898). F. C. Ives, average of 30^ in 
500, and high run of 140 (New York, December 
2, 1897). Grand average of 2418/65 in 1,578 points 
(Chicago, January 17 to 22, 1898). 





14 Inches 


/ 


14 

TXCHES 




^ 


/ 





Diagram 4 — Mussey's Game. 



&08 



Diagram No. 4 shows a change suggested 
W. P. Mussey of Chicago, and at once voted 
"too easy." 

" Gray Tom " Gallagher in practice ran 100 al 
this style of game. 



ed byl 



L 

14 
Inches 

r 


J "L 
14 Inches 


J 

n 




n r 



Diagrams — Spinks' Game. 
Diagram No. 5 shows a game suggested by 
Spinks, the California champion, and pro 
nounced "unsound" by Jacob Schaefer, a fate 
which also befell a further innovation which 
called for additional short lines midway the 
end rail. 




Diagram 6 — J. Schaefer's Game —Anchor Barred. 

Diagram No. 6 shows Jake Schaefer's game. 
At it the wizard has practiced a few times. 
His first essay resulted in an average of 16 in 



209 

400, with a high run of 160, and later he aver- 
aged 44% in 400, scoring a break of 196. When 
assailed with "It's too fast," Schaefer replied: 
" Maybe so, but I assure you that performance 
was the greatest in my billiard career." 




Diagram 7 — Slosson's Diamond Game. 

Diagram No. 7 shows the diamond game. It 
is the invention of George F. Slosson of New 
York. This is practically the champion's game 
with the lines extended. It never has been 
given a fair trial. An amateur suggests that 

38 Inches 



IS I.NCHES 



18 Inches 



38 Inches 
Diagram 7^^ — "Champion's Game" Amended. 

[Lines 18x38.] 
the apices of the diamond beremoved 4% inches 
from the cushion. 



210 



Diagram 8 — Four-Space Game. 

Diagram No. 8 shows the four-space game 
anchor allowed. This is strongly advocated hy 
Henry Rhines. With two shots allowed in balli 
(as at the ordinary 14-inch game) Schaefer some 
years ago made an average of 8^, but later, 
with five shots allowed in balk, he showed an 
average of 13. 

Witnessing this performance, good judges 
were heard to remark : "A first-class man with 
practice would surely average 50 at that style of 
billiards." 





20 Inches 




28 Inches 




28 Inches 




20 Inches 





Diagram 9 — Maggioli's Game. 

Diagram No. 9 shows Maggioli's game. The 
champion of the South is responsible for this, at 
which style he recently averaged nearly 4, and 



211 

Harry Pagin, his opponent, averaged S%. Only 
two shots in balk are allowed, either in the cen- 
ter inclosure or elsewhere. 



28 Inches 




28 Inches 





Diagram 10 — Varied Four-Space Game. 

Diagram No. 10 is the varied four-space game. 
It is untried in public, but is spoken well of. 
The idea was originated by an amateur. 




Diagram 1 1 



Game. 



Diagram No. 11 shows the X game. It is un- 
tried in public. There are modifications of this 
game made by marking additional lines bisect- 
ing the table both ways, or by adding still more 
lines till the center of the table is all marked up 
into a crazy quilt. In diagrams 18, 14, only one 
shot allowed in balk. 



iil2 




Diagram 12 — The Kite Frame. 



28 Inches 


X 


X 


X 


X 


28 Inches 


\/ 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 


X 



Diagram 13 — Tiie Crazy Quilt. 







/ 

/ 


X 














/ 


\ 
X 


XX 





Diagram 14 — Lattice Work 



In the composite game, diagram 16, nothing 
is barred in the spaces marked "A," where 



'*the rail" and "anchor" are allowed. In 
"Parker's box" on the end rail 20 shots are 
allowed. In all other spaces only two shots. 

21 Inches 21 Inches 



/ 


14 Inches 


\ 


\ " 


"/ 




\ 
/ 


Inches \ 


/ Inches 


\ 


14 Inches 





Diagram 15 — Space Game Played at Hartford, Conn., 
February, 1884. 



A— 6 Inches 



IB — 20 Inches 



Diagram 16 — Thatcher's Composite Game. 
The idea is to force play to the center of the 
table. 



"ALBANY PONY" IN ENGLAND. 

THE DEFEAT OF AMERICA'S REPRE- 
SENTATIVE IN 1832. 

" When at the opening of the billiard toui'na- 
ment ('triangular,' Chicago, 1885) Judge Gary 
(later of anarchist trial fame) honored the 



occasion with a splendid speech, some of the 
listeners (and Central Music Hall was crowded 
with a representative body of citizens) thought 
the able jurist stretched the point a trifle by the 
phrase ' I, myself, have held the cue while the 
bishop ran out the game'; but I can assure you 
that no less a personage than ' the father of his, 
country' occasionally had a chance to make aj 
miscue, which was more frequent in those day! 
than the accomplishment of 'winning haz- 
ards,'" said, one day, nearing the close of his' 
long and honorable career, James W. Cochran, 
a pioneer of Chicago. The interested listener 
sat silent while the old gentleman (long sitice 
passed to the final account), known as " the 
father of the billiard pla^^ers," edified him thus : 

" As I was saying. Gen. George Washing- 
ton played at billiards. When his armj^ 
wintered near Morristown, New Jersey, the 
Commander-in-Chief made his headquarters at 
the abandoned mansion of a Tory in the 
vicinity. (This story came direct to me, my 
boy, for my grandfather was Surgeon-General 
in Washington's army, and, as a boy, I well 
remember the tales he was wont to tell.) 
The owner had purchased in England a 6x12 
six-pocket billiard table, the heavy carving upon 
the sides of which would look strangely at the 
present day. The bed was made of marble 
slabs, and cloth and cushions were fashioned 
much as now. Indeed, if I mistake not, this 
antique piece of furniture may be seen to-day, 
where for 110 years it has afforded facilities for 
the visitor's exhibition of proficiency at bil- 
liards. 

'• The tale as told by the register, wherein ap- 
pear the greater names of American history, 



I 



215 

would indicate that the vanity so marked in 
modern billiard players is no new development, 
for iiere and there is record made of supposedly 
great performances, I recollect that ag-ainst 
one signature was placed 'scored a run of 10,' 
provocative of laughter when it is understood 
that four balls were used, and pocketing the 
balls, the push shot, and ' crotching ' was al- 
jfowed, while caroms counted either two or three 
points. The player then had, mayhap, pocketed 
the red ball thrice, and taken one point for his 
opponent's miss, or possibly made five caroms 
on red and white. 

"Who was the first great American profes- 
sional? Michael Phelan, did you say? Why, 
Lord bless you, boy ! 1 date back to 1832, and 
Phelan's day didn't come along until the 50's. 
When a young man, I one day, in the city of 
Albany, N. Y., chanced to stroll into a saloon, 
and there saw manipulating the ivories on a 
billiard table, surrounded by a crowd of admir- 
ers, a young man afterward known to fame as 
Lynn Higham, 'the Albany pony.' Returning 
home to Schenectady, I told my father of the 
wonderful strokes I had seen executed. The 
next day, when going down street to the store, 
my father pointed out the barber-shop in which 
Higham had been given his first lesson in bil- 
liards. Now, the idea of a billiard table in a 
barber-shop causes a smile 1 see, but such things 
were common in those days. The 'pony,' too 
short to reach well, was helped out by his father, 
who carried a stool around the table for the son 
to stand on when playing billiards. I should 
say that in manhood Higham was just about 
George Slosson's height, than whom in build he 
was slightly stouter. He was a fair, fat, chubby 



216 

little fellow, somewhat on the dough-face order, 
and, not to belie his looks, had the heart of a 
rabbit. 

''Somewhere about 1832, this expert went to 
New York City and there attracted the atten- 
tion of the sporting fraternity, the chief member 
of which was a man named Jackson, bearing 
the sobriquet of 'Moccasin.' Like many a 
gambler of our day, he had a business schemfe 
for a blind, and upon the walls of his boot and 
shoe establishment, on Broadway, might be 
.seen an innumerable lot of painted moccasins, 
and from these he took his nickname. 

"A sporting nobleman of England, happening 
to note the skill of Higham, suggested to Jack- 
son the scheme of taking the young billiardist 
to England, and this agreed to, ' the Albany 
pony' at once went hard into practice at the spot 
stroke (holing the red ball), which culminate 
in a run of 600 points. 'Moccasin' meantim 
was up-country securing other attractions foi 
money getting in Albion, and when he returne( 
such materialized in the shape of a trotter an 
a pacer, each of which could barely cover a 
mile in three minutes. 

" As this was the time when the Erie Canal 
was building, the towpath offered the track 
where these star equines were trialed — the 
somewhat inaccurate method of timing being 
to start the watch (held by a man at the finish) 
at the drop of a flag. , 

"Eventually the nobleman and the sport 
landed in England with America's best horse- 
flesh and 'the Albany pony.' The success ol 
the four-legged animals was conjectural, bul 
for the billiard player everything looked rosy, 
as the then champion of England, known as 



I 



217 

'the Brighton Marker,' was clearly his inferior 
in speed. A grand private match was arranged 
to be played at the house of the nobleman. 
When the appointed evening came, Higham 
.stepped to the table and confronted an assem- 
blage unlike that before which any billiardist 
had ever shown his skill, composed as it was of 
members of the peerage, cabinet officials, and 
the nobility in general, each gentleman being 
accompanied by wife, sister, or sweetheart. 
The sight of the ladies ablaze with jewels quite 
unnerved poor Higham, and when he heard 
' My Lady So-and-So, I will lay you a monkey 
on the Brighton Marker,' from the lips of a 
goddess he had settled upon as a sympathizer, 
he was, as the sa^^ing goes, ' knocked cold. ' At 
any rate, he was badly beaten and his backers 
were said to have lost $200,000. 

*' The Americans managed to get back to 
London, and here Higham, in the cellars, man- 
aged to pick -up some $700, with which, after 
selling the 'side wheeler ' and his comrade (for 
little interest was taken those days across the 
water in other than the thoroughbred race 
horse), 'Moccasin' and 'the Albany pony' re- 
turned to America. 

" Could our best player of this date go to Eng- 
land and win ? Slosson says not, and Schaefer 
backs up his statement, that at the English 
game Jno. Roberts is invincible." 



IVES BEATS ROBERTS IN 
ENGLAND. 

Never, concerning sport, has the American, in 
his desire to convince in the matter of the 
supremacy of Brother Jonathan over John Bull, 



218 

advanced so fallacious an argument as the one 
treating of the victory of Frank C. Ives over 
Jno. Roberts at the game of English billiards. 
That in London, Derby week, 1893, in a match 
of 6,000 points, Ives did defeat Roberts, is the 
truth, but it was by no means at the English 
game that the American accomplished this feat. 
The story runs as follows: Ives, in 1892, after 
winning the American championship at 14-inch 
balk line from Jacob Schaefer, and holding 
same against Geo. F. Slosson, ambitiously 
sought other fields of conquest and journeyed 
to Paris, France, where for several months he 
sojourned, and met and defeated all comers, 
with the exception of Maurice Vignaux and 
Jacob Schaefer, which pair were engaged at a 
rival academy. It was when returning to 
America, Ives, passing through London, tarried 
and informed himself as to the probability of 
securing a match with Roberts at some style of 
compromise game. For Ives, like Slosson and 
Schaefer, knew well that at the regulation Eng- 
lish game no living man had a chance to beat 
Roberts. Calling upon the English champion, 
the American was well (if coolly) received, and 
at once the men began figuring as to the con- 
ditions which would bring them together in 
the matter of billiard speed. 

Nothing was done until, in the spring of 1893, 
Tom Taylor (an English professional billiard- 
ist, who really discovered the system of "em 
play," which, perfected by Roberts, account! 
for championship form) landed in Chicago 
with credentials from John Roberts as match 
maker. On the 29th day of April, 1893, articlei 
of agreement were signed. Such called for 
12,000-point match, under English rules, foi 



i 






219 

$5,000 a side ; the table to be 6 x 12, with six 
pockets of the best make of Burroughs & 
Watts ; size of pocket, 334 inches ; size of balls, 
234 inches. Mr. Taylor went home entirely 
satisfied, as he had no doubt that "Jack" (as 
all Englishmen call Roberts) had a good thing. 
The concession, "English rules to govern," had 
settled all his fears. But Yankees have been 
famed since time immemorial as being up to 
selling wooden nutmegs, and even wooden 
oats. In carefully digesting the book of Eng- 
lish rules, the youth from Plainwell, Michigan, 
had discovered something. 

Section 44 of the rules reads: 

"The balls being jammed in the pocket so 
that the greater part is off the table, they shall 
be considered to have been holed.' 



(?- 



Jaw 



O 

Compromise(lvES-ROBERTs)Game 

and Old American 

Four-Ball Game. 

3 'A ■m.Pocke+ 

2 'A in Balls. 



But this did not bar the jaw with a 234 
ball, for with such size one can not so place two 
balls in the mouth of the pocket, but that some 
portion of the bed of the table will be between 
them and the fall of the pocket. The rule was 
all for which it was intended (the regular Eng- 
lish game calls for S% pockets and 2yxG balls), 



230 



I 



but the Yankee saw the flaw and so readily 
accepted Taylor's conditions. 



^ 



Jaw ^=^0 

at 
English Game 

barred. 

35/8 in. Pockei 
2'/i6ln. Balls. 



Ives kept his secret well and was never seen 
to practice with the balls wedged (a position in 
which any amateur could make enormous runs), 
the first trial having assured him that the posi- 
tion once gained, any length of game was over. 
He contented himself by playing "the rail" 
and acquired such skill that the balls could be 
held past the side pocket. Breaks of 600 and 800 
were scored, and when he left for England the 
American thought that he could win " hands 
down " without the jaw. Just before the date 
of the match Ives was taken ill, and the damp- 
ness of London affecting him seriously, he, 
when the match was two-thirds over, was ap- 
parently beaten. Roberts had played miich 
better than had been bargained for, in fact had 
demonstrated that he outclassed any English 
billiardist ever produced by easily adapting 
himself to changed conditions. Ives, in response 
to a cablegram from an American friend, had 
"jogged "the first night, in order that some 
money might be placed. But Thursday he 
probably wished that he had gone on from the 
start. His friend in America who knew about 



221 

the jaw kept saying to himself, ''Will he never 
get it?" and finally gave up hope. But Friday 
morning the dispatches read: "Ives runs 1,540 
and is ahead." 

How the American was hooted for "silly 
business," as the English onlookers expressed 
it, and how finally, after scoring 2,540, he de- 
stroyed the lock he had on the spheres, is famil- 
iar to all interested. The game was his, and 
later advices told of the "peculiar position of 
the balls." It seems that Ives did not gain the 
jaw, but near the pocket got something like 



Where Ives ran 25A-0 
in Game wi+h 



/ 

Roberts O 



^ 



"the anchor," and, with the delicacy never dis- 
played other than by J. Schaefer and himself, 
kept on clicking off "cannons." An Iowa bil- 
liardist of the long ago, named McAfee, is said 
to have run 6,000 shots in almost the same posi- 
tion on a carom table. Although the English- 
men all said, "That was an easy thing to do" 
(referring to the immense break of Ives), when 
Ives' American companion offered to bet Rob- 
erts or anyone else a large amount of money 
that no man from a like position could run 100 
shots, the wager was not accepted, and it is 
understood that fairly good English profession- 
als in trials lost the balls before scoring a break 
of twenty shots. 
15 



222 , i 

Later in the year Ives and Roberts played in | 
Chicago, and the American won. Afterward, \ 
in New York City, they met again, and here 
Roberts, playing extraordinarily well (the pock- 
ets having been enlarged to 3% inches), beat his 
man. The English champion gained greatly in 
billiard speed from the matches played with 
Ives, and the American was taught some valu- 
able shots by the other, notably "a long smash 
follow," which, executed in the Chicago handi- 
cap tournament of January, 1898, brought down 
the house. In making this style of shot, Ives 
catches his cue as far back as possible, just as 
does the Englishman. While in America, Rob- 
erts was taught to play ' ' the rail ' '—after a fash- 
ion. He at once saw that he could work this 
system on the end rail without sacrificing any- 
thing, as failure would injure him not at all, 
because he could hole the red and once more 
get the balls. Before this the English record for 
high run was the 737 of Roberts, and no other 
man at " spot barred " had come anywhere near 
this break. Returning to England, his first 
week's play returned a run of 850, and soon 
thereafter he put up 1,300. In January, 1898, 
(according to Ives) Roberts ran 1,600. At Eng- 
lish billiards he stands ready to concede any 
American 8,000 in 24,000. Ives, in the spring of 
1897, challenged Roberts for $10,000 a side to 
play, using a 3i/4-inch pocket and a 'ZYiq ball, but 
his forfeit of $2,500, posted in London, was not 
covered. Ives claims that years ago what was 
known as the " champion pocket " for the Eng- 
lish game was 3^4 inch. 

The reputation of Frank C. Ives is in no sense 
injured by the correction of the popular error 
as regards his defeat of Jno. Roberts. As his 



223 

coming to the front rank of native experts 
greatly augmented in speed the game of bil- 
liards, so his play with Roberts resulted in the 
amalgamation of all that is best in the styles at 
which each of the contestants were at the time 
champions. There are now living five first- 
class billiardists : Jacob Schaefer, Frank C. 
Ives, Maurice Vignaux, Geo. F. Slosson, and 
Jno. Roberts, and the rapid development of 
billiards, no matter what the style of game, is 
directly traceable to the work of this quintette. 
No one of the five but what has made valuable 
contribution to the general fund of billiard 
information, and when partisanship seeks to 
exalt this one or that over the others, the advo- 
cate should meet a well deserved contempt. 

London, England, May 29 to June 4, 1893 — 
Match, 6,000 points, spot barred. Compromise 
game, 2i/4 balls, 3i/4 pockets; 1,000-point blocks. 

(The original articles called for 12,000 points, 
and stakes of $5,000 a side.) 

F. C. Ives, 689, 981, 573, 1,757, 1,000, 1,000; total, 
6,000. J. Roberts, 1,000, 1,000, 1,000, 418, 413; 
total, 3,831. 

Ives ran 2,540 (fourth and fifth nights), then 
destroyed the position purposely. The last 
night he again got position and ran 852. Rob- 
erts' highest run was 249. 

The betting in England before the match was 
largely in favor of Roberts, but 6 to 5 against 
Ives was the best price obtainable in Chicago. 
Of the position where Ives made the immense 
run, the Ijondon Sport smait said: "The balls 
are peculiarly paired (upper right pocket). 
They don't touch. The white is well in the top 
shoulder and the red certainly well on in the 
jaws." 



224 

Roberts, when in America, at the World's 
Fair, played Ives two matches. The first one 
(Chicago) was won by the American; the 
second (played in New York City) fell to 
Roberts. The table used in the last match was 
fitted with 3% pockets. In both the American 
games the crotch and anchor shot were barred. 

The ravens croaked: " Hippodrome ! Ives 
and Roberts are after the public money." 

The Chicago match cleared (gate money) less 
than $500. The personal expenses of Roberts 
and family, during his Chicago visit, more than 
doubled such amount, and his American trip 
all around (loss of business interests included) 
cost him over $5,000. 



THE JOHNSON-REEVES MATCH. 

In the fall of 1883 (November) there was 
played a match at cushion carom billiards 
which, as a means of the interchange of money, 
far eclipsed any contest which ever was known 
in American billiards. In the private room, 
with seating capacity of about 600, over the 
Columbia Billiard-room (now, 1898, owned by 
G. F. Slosson), corner Twenty-second Street 
and Broadway, New York City, there were 
assembled on the night in question the notables 
of the Eastern sporting world. Every seat was 
filled and all corners crammed, although no one 
who could not show an invitation passed the 
doorkeeper. The contestants were Capt. Jno. 
T. Reeves and David Johnson, the former aij 
old-time billiard expert, who had again and 
again faced the starter. His opponent was a 
, youthful sport, destined some years later to cut 



225 

a wide swath in bookmaking circles, as of all 
"block men" the most dashing, inasmuch as 
frequently when two horses raced, he took the 
money on one and bet it on the other, " letting 
the tail go with the hide," as the saying runs. 
His "high rolling " proclivities were considered 
natural and the result of heredity, as his father 
had for years been known as New York's chief 
seller of auction pools. 

Reeves was a man somewhere around forty 
years of age, of medium height, pudgy, round- 
faced. There was somewhat of the retired sea 
captain about his appearance, but more of the 
well conditioned hotel clerk. However, the 
massive watch chain, glittering scarf pin, and 
insouciant air betrayed the gamester bred to 
the bone. 

Johnson, in height, was by several inches the 
taller man, but his proportions were ample. Of 
the Jim Fiske type, in single company never 
was he the least observed, being boisterous and 
ostentatious, with a jolly laugh and a rollicking 
air. As a youth he had gained a record of so 
plunging on Checkmate for the Saratoga cup as 
to take down $23,000 by the victory of the horse. 

"A likely fellow," mused the astute and care- 
ful " Luc " Appleby, then, as now, one of the 
richest sporting men in the United States. And 
the firm name became Appleby & Johnson— a 
Gould-Fisk sort of deal— with the financier on 
the big end, the devil-may-care adventurer on 
the other. 

During the races at Washington, D. C, early 
that fall. Reeves and Johnson had met at cush- 
ion caroms for a comparatively small amount of 
money, and the elder man won. Then " Davy " 
proposed to play for $2,500 a side in New York 



226 

City, after snowfall, and " Ridge " Levine, book- 
maker, accepted on Reeves' behalf. 

Great interest at once was aroused, and as 
it was a certainty that large amounts would be 
wagered on the game, Johnson engaged "Tom- 
my " Wallace (Schaefer's protege, and as wonJ~ 
derful a billiardist as ever lived of like age), a^ 
trainer, and kept the matter more or less of j 
secret, as the lessons were given at the book-l 
maker's club. Here Johnson out-managed 
Reeves, who did not appear to consider the fact 
that a new system of play at cushion caroms 
had been found an improvement (that of play- 
ing one cushion instead of two, or three, or six), 
and so in practice kept banging around the 
short angles of the 4,}4, x 9 table, getting all the 
kisses, but confidently expecting to put up an 
average of SJ^ no matter how badly fortune 
might use him. 

On the eventful night of the match, Mr. 
Appleby, before going to the hall, declared that 
he had bet enough (some thousands outside of 
the main stake), and the general feeling favored 
Reeves to win. But just as the game began, 
when bookmaker Tully kept crying $100 to $90 
against his man, Appleby could stand it no 
longer and put down a bet of $2,700 against 
$3,000 on Johnson. For an hour betting trans- 
actions had been large. There were seated 
about the billiard table the leading bookmakers, 
and when this or that turfman or other sport- 
ingman wished to "get on," he simply did so 
through his bookmaker friend. Therefore, it 
was not necessary to appoint stakeholders and 
"flash" money (happenings which, to the inex- 
perienced, convey the idea of a "world of 
money" being wagered, and, as in the case of 



227 

the Phelan-Seereiter match at Detroit, put on 
record fallacious estimates); business was trans- 
acted rapidly, and so unimportant was a bet of 
$80 that a man yelled himself hoarse before 
anybody paid any attention to him. The old- 
timers aver that in horse racing any one of the 
moss-grown four-mile events of "befo de wah" 
produced high gambling, and are loth to accept 
as a fact that since bookmaking and pool rooms 
struck the United States (less than twenty 
years ago) there is more money bet throughout 
the country on a race for "maidens" than 
changed hands in all the four-mile races ever 
run in America. So with billiards at the 
Phelan-Seereiter match, whatever money was 
at issue ($15,000 stakes and all) was nothing 
compared to that wagered on the Johnson- 
Reeves match, even before the game started. 
The first 100 points (the game was 250 up) was 
contested so closely that neither player could be 
said to have an advantage, but midway the sec- 
ond 100, Johnson forged ahead and stood 30 points 
to the good. James Kelly had come in late and 
hadn't bet a cent. He now " unbelted," and his 
quiet offer of "$100 to $40 on Johnson" "got a 
game" for a large amount, as Joe Cotton, a con- 
servative man, and the bookmakers that fully 
appreciated the fluctuations incident to a cush- 
ion carom game, hedged off in a twinkling, and 
put Mr. Kelly where he stood to lose $5,000. 

Reeves made a spurt, and, playing with as 
high a rate of speed as shown in his practice, 
closed the gap, and going on strongly, turned 
the second hundred with a run of 12, and the 
score stood : Reeves, 206 ; Johnson, 200. Now 
bedlam reigned. Kelly was in a tight place. 
Stedeker flopped around until he had a " Dutch" 



i 



228 

(a book that loses no matter how it comes), and 
the game w^s stopped, while amid shouting, 
"guying," laughter, and great uproar, each 
gamester tried to fix his fences. Soon the even 
money on Reeves went to $100 to $90, and 
landed at $100 to $80. But the break in the pro- 
ceedings had quite undone the apoplectic cap- 
tain. The excitement and the heat had de- 
stroyed his chance. He was seen to falter, then 
stammer for water, and with a desperate grasp 
as if to loosen his necktie, tore it, his collar, and 
shirt-band loose. 

The spectators, so used to quickly spy a 
horse's tail go up, let not so ominous a sign 
escape, and 100 to 25 on Johnson went begging 
when "Davy" only led by 15 points. So obvi- 
ous was the disparity of odds and stage of 
game, that when $100 to $10 was offered, John- 
son openly took quite a bunch of the short end 
himself. Despite this, e3,ch time he went to the 
table his adherents exultantly shouted, " Pay 
off!" and never had reason to change the cry, 
as their man won the game by 17 points, finishing 
"hands down," and with a better average (2) 
than had been expected of him under such try- 
ing circumstances. Johnson's personal friends 
had stuck to him from first to last, kept on bet- 
ting that he would win from the worse stage, 
and from the money that night landed, it is 
said, have sprung the large fortunes of several 
of the lights of the Eastern betting ring of the 
present day. "Tommy" Wallace was well 
paid for his services, and the Johnson-Reeves 
match conclusively proved that the best way to 
play cushion caroms is to hit one cushion in 
preference to more, no matter what the speed 
of billiard experts. 



229 

NEW GAME OF BILLIARDS. 

THE CORNER GAME. 

The French corner game of billiards has 
become popular with amateurs, and in the 
leading rooms players at several tables may at 
times be seen devoted to its practice. The sim- 
plicity of the gaine commends it to all classes 
of players, and its freedom from any necessity 
of making the cue-ball do extraordinary 
things — the real test of a billiard artist — is so 
apparent that the ordinary billiard player at 
once pronounces it " so easy," the more readily 
if at the first trial he should fortunately win the 
game in one stroke. 

As an educator the corner game is of value, 
its teaching being that of "natural angles"; 
by it also is shown the value of correctly mak- 
ing easy shots, which the tutor of English bil- 
liards so ceaselessly drums into the heads of 
his pupils. Indeed, if a man never missed an 
easy shot and let the hard ones take care of 
themselves, he might have a chance to become 
the world's champion at any style of billiards. 
The corner game is played with two balls, red 
and white, the former of which is placed in the 
crotch at the upper right-hand end of the table, 
the white ball being in hand. 

The idea is to effect as quickly as may be the 
purpose of driving the red ball into the op- 
posite corner at the head of the table, and when 
this ball rests inside the triangle, made by 
drawing a line from the first diamond on the 
end to the first diamond, on the side, it is 
declared "in" and the opposing player can 
only win by getting it there in fewer strokes 
than his adversary. The player has the privi- 



230 




A — Position for double kiss. 

B — Spinks' favorite "in " in one shot. 

C — Schaefer's " in " in one three-cushion shot. 

D — Wonderful stroke by Catton, "in" in one shot 
driven on two cushions. 

lege of placing the cue-ball wherever he pleases 
inside the string, not only for the opening shot, 
but for any thereafter necessary. The cue-ball 
must first hit the left-side cushion. A foul on 
the white ball is counted a stroke. 



^31 

The game is one bringing into play the prin- 
cipal knowledge necessary to the primitive 
billiardist, whose teaching told of how the angle 
of incidence is equal to that of reflection. To 
aid him the diamonds were placed upon the 
rails of the table. This was before twist (" Eng- 
lish*') was discovered, and if a ball hit fair 
struck one diamond it must of necessity travel 
to some other diamond with unerring accuracy, 
provided the tools were perfect. 

One day an English drover — so the story 
goes — chanced, upon passing a billiard table, 
to hit a ball with the butt of his leathern whip, 
upon which the sphere, striking the cushion, 
showed an unnatural angle, and that ended the 
use of the diamond, and at the same time it 
rendered possible the evolution of billiards to 
its present advanced state. 

There are no diamonds on an English billiard 
table. Probably most persons using them see 
on American tables only an ornamentation to 
relieve the idea of bareness. But some of the 
old-time experts use them, notably Thomas J. 
Gallagher, and thus is partially accounted for 
his reputation as a "hard-shot player," justly 
gained through the completion of most start- 
ling strokes. 

Jacob Schaefer never looks at a diamond, and 
the same may be said of new-school billiardists, 
aware that the instant "side" is applied the 
natural angle is destroyed. 

W. H. Catton is the best American player at 
the corner game. What his system is is his own 
afifair, but the spectator sees him, with his cue, 
measuring the spot to be hit on the right-hand 
side cushion, rebounding from which the cue- 
ball hits the red perfectly as it stands in the 



center of the table, and drives it home on the 
stroke. Catton learned the game in Pari^, 
where he stood next of class to Ducasse, the 
Frenchman, and Manuel, the Spaniard, which 
pair are the best in the world, and either of 
them can be backed to complete the game in 
four strokes. Catton first showed the corner 
game in Chicago at the "academy" opened by- 
Jacob Schaefer in 1895, and at once the locai 
experts sought a system to offset his. T. H, 
White — who some thirty-five years ago was the' 
champion billiardist of Maine — a man noted as a 
mathematician, was not long in studying out a 
system of natural angles and making this known 
to his son Frank, who is one of the best local 
amateurs at angle games. The younger White 
in a short time acquired proficiency sufficient to 
cause the issuance of a challenge on his behalf — 
never accepted — to play any man that could be 
produced, bar Catton. 

It was the adoption of White's system that 
enabled Spinks, a superior billiardist, to make 
such a showing against Catton. In fact, Spinks' 
record of putting the ball "in" nine times in 
thirty shots, may be unequaled in any country. 

In opening, Catton places the cue-ball at the 
intersection of the lines marked on the table 
for 14-inch balk line. Spinks places his near 
the end rail at the first diamond. The latter 
player seems the surer to hit the red ball, but 
this may result because of his soft stroke, which 
can not cause the red to dance far from the 
corner, the theory of the player, apparently, 
being to nurse the sphere over by easy stages, 
as opposed to Catton's idea of landing it by a 
hard stroke in one shot, failing which, some- 
times the red rolls out in the center of the 



y 

I 



233 

table. Seldom does Spinks have the red outside 
the 14-inch balk line, rarely outside the string, 
while Catton often has it below the middle 
pocket, and sometimes at the upper end of the 
table. 

Jacob Schaefer has never been able to play 
the corner game well — finding great difficulty 
in dislodging the red — yet, with the object ball 
once loosened, the wizard can get it "in" 
more quickly than the others, although going 
entirely by eyesight, and never looking at the 
diamonds. In opening, he places his ball close 
in on the left-side rail and smashes hard. This 
he copied from Garnier, as effective a player as 
Catton, and the man who more often accom- 
plished the feat of finishing the game in one 
stroke. 

With perfect tools the White system is un- 
doubtedly the best. The theory is that given 
the red on one side of the table, the white 
placed exactly opposite on the other side and 
driven on three cushions perfectly, will surely 
hit the red on the side necessary to drive it 
toward the corner. Placing the white is a ques- 
tion of eyesight, as no artificial aid can be used, 
and should the stroke be ineffective, the first 
shot is a guide for the next, the player altering 
the spot where the cue-ball hit the first cushion. 
When the red ball has traveled to a position 
near the line of the spot, the cue-ball is sent 
against the left-side cushion, just below the 
fourth diamond, and at all times the cue-ball 
is struck just above the center with slight 
natural twist. - " 

As Spinks plays the game there is little of 
brilliancy, as the variety of shots is few. Other 
players, "shooting in the air," get the red into 



234 

the worst possible place on the table and some- 
times in desperation - trying experiments - land 
the refractory sphere home in one 100-to-l 
stroke, thus winning the money of the backer 
and receiving tumultuous applause. |> 

There are some pretty shots, the double kisf ^ 
probably being the most astonishing. When 
the red lays nearly on the left-side rail it can 
be driven up and down, the cue-ball taking 
only the side cushion, or banked in by the use 
of two cushions. 

There are variations of the corner game, 
the red ball being placed in lower right-hand 
or lower left-hand corner ; and at such styles 
Professor Kaarless, the Belgium strong man 
and fancy-shot billiardist, is without an equal. 



RECORD ODDS AND ENDS. 

Four balls— 51^x11 carom table, 2% balls. 
Pierre Carme, Chicago, July 22, 1868, averaged 
3438/43, and ran 382. 

Pin pool — J. F. B. McCleery, Virginia City, 
Nev., December 28, 1872, played ten and one- 
half hours with Chas. Douglass, and won $6,330 
in gold coin. 

In June, 1890, Jacob Schaefer easily beat Mc- 
Cleery, and a few days later, according to F. C. 
Ives, but for miscarriage of plans, had a chance 
to win $25,000 at pin pool, by beating the Califor- 
nia pet. 

Three balls — In "snap game" at Pittsburg, 
Pa., April 14, 1884, Albert Ziemer of Cleveland, 
Ohio, lost $4,600 to William Walker of Pitts- 
burg. The winner in speed was up to " 50 or no 
count," while the loser never ran 20 in his life. 



235 

Thinking he was "going too far," Jno. Staley, 
Walker's backer, told his man to lose the last 
game ($1,500 a side), thereby outmanaging him- 
self, as Ziemer had $20,000 in his pocket. 

Cushion caroms — 4i^x9 table. Martin Mul- 
len (amateur), at Cleveland, Ohio, 1890, beat 
Jacob Schaefer "three straights," 100-point 
games, and in the 300 points made a grand aver- 
age of 10. Mullen made game in 8, 9, 13 in- 
nings respectively. High runs : Schaefer, 43; 
Mullen, 41. The stakes were small, but vessel- 
men, friends of Mullen, won a large amount of 
money from the local sports, who naturally 
thought Schaefer a cinch. Mullen had pre- 
viously beaten Ives, then the "champion short- 
stop," who, when twitted by Schaefer, hotly 
said : "If he plays that kind of a game, he can 
beat you, too," and this talk brought on the 
MuUen-Schaefer contest. 

Mullen, in 1875, defeated at pin pool Wm. 
Burleigh, who then was considered as second 
only to Tim Flynn, the recognized pin-pooi 
champion. 

BANK SHOTS. 

Jacob Schaefer is the best player in the world, 
and is said to have scored a run of 19. To the 
best amateurs — Chas. Nolan of St. Louis and 
Albert Dexter of Chicago — Schaefer concedes 
the odds of 30 per cent, although these gentle- 
men hold their own with all billiardists except 
W. C. McCreery and E. Carter, players by 15 
per cent their superiors. 

FANCY SHOTS. 

Schaefer and Ives are the best players, either 
man being able to make any shot possible to 



/ 236 

other artists, ailti up to some not executed by 
the others. Professor Kaarless, with his great 
all-around draw shot, may be an exception. 
L/Ouis Shaw pleases at exhibitions, and Eugene 
Carter, some years ago, was known as a star. 
In France most of the professionals are fine 
fancy-shot player^, and Gofart is considered the 
best. 

FINGER BILLIARDS. 

H. T. Perry of Cincinnati, Ohio, has no equal. 
Unlike others, he executes with any size ball up 
to 2%6 inches, and at cushion caroms picks up 
his ball wherever he finds it. " Yank " Adams, 
always a popular entertainer, is entirely out- 
classed by Perry. Louis Shaw is as good with 
fingers as with cue. Eugene Carter, a few 
years since, made a big hit in London, England, 
with the small ivory balls (used at pin pool and 
15-ball pool), these being twirled about in amaz- 
ing fashion. Jacob Schaefer originated the trick, 
and can spin the wee spheres much more effect- 
ively than Carter. 

LADY FANCY-SHOT PLAYER. 

F. C. Ives is authority for the statement that 
Miss Kaarless, age twelve years, the daughter 
of Professor Kaarless of New York, can exe- 
cute a "follow and force" with either hand, 
and accomplish results impossible to any other 
expert. Her father is a noted Belgian strong 
man, who carries a 100-pound dumbbell on his 
shoulder while showing the more extraordinary 
of fancy shots, and the daughter bids fair to be 
a most athletic woman by the time of " Paris, 
1900," when the pair will visit Europe. 



ARMLESS BILLIARDIST. 
- Geo. Sutton (a namesake of "the billiard 
comet") is the marvel of the experts. By a 
railway accident he lost both arms (cut off just 
below the elbow), but with the stumps handles 
a cue so well that on a 4i^ x 9 table, at " straight 
rail," he has scored 200 points in three innings. 
At 14-inch balk line he can easily defeat a "2i^- 
man," and draws and spreads excellently. This 
wonder plays " 15 or no count " at ball pool. 

ENGLISH BILLIARDS. 

San Francisco, March 15, 1871 — Joseph Dion, 
1,000 ; A. P. Rudolphe, 956. Winner's average, 
45%3g ; best run, 29. Rudolphe ran 40. Played 
on a 6x12 six-pocket English table, with 2% 
balls. 

Three-ball "French " game (afterward devel- 
oped into "straight rail"), played on a 6x12 
six-pocket English table, 2146 balls — New York 
City, October 9, 1874. Match for $1,000 a side. 
A. P. Rudolphe, 400 ; William Cook (champion 
of England), 274. Winner's average, 19%o4 ; 
high run, 26. Cook ran 16. Time of game, 4 
hours 12 minutes. 

Cook, upon his return to England, introduced 
the American tournament system, whereby 
each player meets all other contestants, an 
innovation said to have materially aided the 
rise to popularity of professional contests. 

AMERICAN EXPERTS IN EUROPE. 
The Dion brothers played in London, Eng- 
land, July, 1875, but their exhibitions at French 
billiards turned out badly, the English public 
caring nothing for the game. 
Wm. Sexton went to Paris in 1876, Geo. F. 
16 



238 

Slosson in 1880, Maurice Daly about the same 
time, then followed Jacob Schaefer in 1883, and 
Frank C. Ives, who landed in France in 1892. 
The last four mentioned experts have each 
crossed the Atlantic several times. 

Eugene Carter has made more than one trip 
to England and France, and now makes his 
headquarters at Barcelona, Spain. In the years 
following 1892, Wm. H. Catton, F. Maggioli, 
Wm. A. Spinks, and Chas. Schaefer all exhib- 
ited their speed in the Paris academies. Schae- 
fer and Ives, in 1892, gave exhibitions of balk- 
line billiards in London, England, and met with 
success of mild type. 

FOREIGNERS IN AMERICA. 

M. Claudius Berger, champion of France, was 
the first Frenchman to dare the watery wastes 
which Vignaux so fears, that a $5,000 offer for 
six months in the World's Fair year was no 
inducement for him^to take the steamer for 
New York. 

Berger was present when the first American 
tournament (New York, October, 1860) was 
framed, and he contributed the second prize 
— a French inlaid cue. Giving exhibitions 
throughout the United States, Berger intro- 
duced "the masse," then called "the perpen- 
dicular shot." 

Pierre Carme, A. P. Rudolphe, and Albert 
Garnier were the next importations, followed 
by Francois Ubassy and Maurice Vignaux. 
When Catton returned from France he brought 
with him Fournil, a player of Garnier's speed. 
Kerkau. champion of Germany, recently tried 
our players, but was unhorsed by " Shortstop " 
McLaughlin. 



239 

Wm. Cook and Jno. Roberts have filled pro- 
fessional engagements, and T. Taylor, a retired 
expert, came over to make the Ives match for 
Roberts. The latter first saw the Yankees some 
twenty-five years ago, he then passing through 
the country on his way to Australia. 

BEST HANDICAP. 

The most remarkable of handicaps was that 
made by Henry Rhines in 1891. There were 
five contestants, all well-known gentlemen of 
Chicago — Jno. Lavally, Fred. Ackerman, Nelse 
Humphrey (dead), Morris Morley, and Chas. 
Gregory. Ackerman and Humphrey started at 
" scratch " (200), the others at 150. The tourna- 
ment resulted in a tie all around, as each man 
won two games. 

RUB NURSE AT CUSHION CAROMS. 

Peculiar to the inventor, Eugene Carter, who, 
striking the position in the first inning of a 100- 
point contest (5x10 table) with A. C. Anson 
(Slosson's Monroe Street Room, Chicago, 1887), 
ran the game out. Carter, in Cleveland, four 
years before this, had shown on an old 4^^ x 9 
table in "Oyster Ocean," a run of over 500, but 
the balls were anchored in a hole on end rail. 



KISS IN CORNER NURSE AT CUSHION 
CAROMS. 

Played by Wm. Hatley for a run (5x10 table) 
of 103 at M. Carey's Room, Chicago, 1896, and 
another of 186 at Duluth, 1897. 



240 

SHORTSTOP. 

A term originated by Jno. Frawley, the last 
champion billiardist of Ohio at the 4-ball game. 
This expert, the Mark Tapley of billiards, could 
find no better nickname for a professional that 
missed championship form, and so called him 
a "shortstop," /. ^., one who stops short. In an 
article to the New York Clipper^ written from 
Akron, phio, 1879, the author of this book signed 
himself '' Shortstop," arid in 1887, in first adver- 
tising Frank C. Ives in the Chicago Eve^img 
News, used the term as Frawley had intended. 

FOURNIL IN AMERICA. 
In the fall of 1894 Fournil, the Frenchman, 
showed practice runs of 300 at 14-inch balk line 
(New York City), and in a match with Galla- 
gher ran 201. A year previous he was beaten 300 
in 1,200-point match (14-inch) by Jacob Schaefer. 
Fournil (New York, J894) easily beat T. J. Gal- 
lagher at cushion caroms. 

MANUFACTURE OF BILLIARD TABLES 

AND CUSHIONS. 
E. D. Bassford was the prominent manufac- 
turer before Michael Phelan and "Chris" O'Con- 
nor started in the business. It is said that 
Bassford had a large billiard room in New 
York City at an early day. By winning the 
Seereiter match at Detroit, in 1859, Phelan 
gained the money to extend his operations, 
and O'Connor retiring, the firm name became 
Phelan & Collender (the latter being a son- 
in-law of the former). In 1857, when at Phila- 
delphia, Pa., Phelan played the series of games 
with Ralph Benjamin (the " Albany Pony," who 
kept a billiard room in New York City, was um- 



241 

pire for Benjamin); the billiard table bed was 
of wood (this according to David T. Pulsifer 
who witnessed the play), and the cushions were 
of cloth. Soon thereafter Phelan introduced the 
''combination cushion" so long known by his 
name, and which, in the year 1898, is still spoken 
of by the professionals as probably the most 
reliable cushion ever made. At the time, a man 
named Holman sought to introduce a whale- 
bone-faced cushion, but while some players 
favored this, it met with scant public favor. 

The first improvement on the wood bed was 
the substitution of marble slabs (Ives, the 
youngest of the champions, has now and again, 
since 1887, ran across a wooden bed table in 
the wilds), but as this material " sweats," it was 
not many years before the introduction of slate 
to take its place. H. W. Collender was a fine 
mechanic and so invented the best methods now 
in use for putting together a billiard table, 
other than the system of doweling, in securing 
the slate slabs which is copied from the Eng- 
lish. For years after the rise of the western 
house of Brunswick & Balke (an alliance of two 
different manufacturing concerns), this firm 
used the Phelan cushion and paid a heavy roy- 
alty to its inventor. After Phelan's death Col- 
lender continued the business, and later con- 
solidated with Brunswick & Balke. From 
1860 until 1898, there have started many manu- 
facturers having this or that innovation as to 
cushion, some using wire, others more rubber 
and less cloth, still others less rubber and more 
cloth. Competition has produced billiard cush- 
ions of superior quality, and without these .such 
averages and runs as are shown to-day would 
be impossible. 



S4S 

MICHAEL PHELAN IN EUROPE. 

After Higham, "The Albany Pony," the first 
American billiardist of the first class to visit 
Europe, was Michael Phelan, who crossed the 
Atlantic in 1848. He played some billiards in 
London, and is said to have tackled the French- 
men in Paris. Dudley Kavanagh says: "Mr. 
Phelan did not wish his visit to Europe to be 
made public at the time." 

D. T. Pulsifer, who remembers Phelan's 
return to America, thinks that "The Father of 
American Billiards" met defeat at the hands 
of the French experts. 



243 

FINALE. 

William Riley tells the following: 

" Many years ago, when about the county fairs 
—oh, yes ! I had a ' racket,' but whether it was 
the 'white mice and the canary birds,' or the 
' rings,' or the ' wheel privilege,' I decline to say. 
I naturally took an interest in other men's ways 
of 'getting the money,' and so curiosity carried 
me to a street corner, where, during the even- 
ing, a fakir attracted the human moths with a 
sputtering, brilliant coal-oil light. 

"As I advanced, the vender began his relation 
of the virtues of a liniment asserted to be 
good for anything from neuralgia to rheuma- 
tism. ' I have here,' cried he, ' most magic stuff. 
The ancients, as you know, utilized for pur- 
poses of suppleness the juices of the lowly 
angleworm (which, as you know, gentlemen, 
is on record as turning when trod upon— but, 
really, I can not see how this helped him any), 
which, used in childhood, created a race of 
acrobats and contortionists (none, however, 
quite up to the standard of ' the boneless won- 
der,' which will be exhibited here next week 
by P. T. Barnum), performing feats spoken of 
by the poet that told that ghost story about 
the Trojan horse. Excuse me, gentlemen, for 
wasting your valuable time, but the digression 
seemed necessary to allow the platoons from 
the side streets to get in. To resume : I got the 
tip on my present specific (which, later^you can 
buy by the quart for two shillings per) from 
Gibbon, who wrote the petering out of the boom 
at Rome, N. Y. This author, in a foot note 
(memory serving), speaks of the aforesaid angle- 
worm oil, and I reasoned by analogy, that the 
electrical eel ought to yield a fluid that would 



244 

kill rheumatism more quickly than the con- 
ventional method of transmitting the essence of 
the lightning to the diseased periosteum by 
means of a battery, a sponge, and a bath-tub. 
You know, gentlemen, that you of the provinces 
are short on bath-tubs. Well, well ! I found in 
Brazil the serpent I was after, and by his scintil- 
lating, glassy, incandescent eye was he undone, 
for its beams made him easily discoverable. By 
the way, although this eel lives in a marshy 
country, such is his wonderful electrical dis- 
seminating quality that no tadpole even but 
that, free from rheumatism, frisks with an 
abandon elsewhere unknown. To return. Your 
minds refreshed, you w-ill remember the elec- 
trical eel mentioned in the Bible as found only 
in Brazil— well and good. Modern science has 
appropriated such reptile, and here I am, will- 
ing for a consideration to proffer to you the 
best^that modern research affords. ' 

"As I strolled away the fakir was doing a 
lively business at a quarter a throw. Meeting 
him later at the hotel, I said: 'Young man, 
you're good! I wouldn't mind having any part of 
your game you care to give away, but see here. 
You spoke of Brazil, a part of South America, as 
the home of the basis of your rheumatism cure. 
Allow me to suggest that you leave out that 
portion of your discourse relating to Biblical 
days, inasmuch as then South America was not 
on the map.' 'Thanks,' said the fakir; 'your 
suggestion is timely. Still,' he mused, 'what 
difference. This is news to me, and it's 100 to 1 
that it would be news to anyone in the 
county.' " 

With like assurance as to errors in this book; 
the author faces the public. 



4 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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